Molecular Cloning

Molecular Cloning is based on an understanding of the molecular aspects of genetic processes occurring in nature. The techniques of gene manipulation enable us to transcend conventional biological boundaries to create completely novel gene combinations and even new genes. Molecular cloning is a process for manipulating DNA that differs from cell cloning and whole animal cloning (although some of the steps involved in the process are common). Molecular cloning is used not only for gaining a better understanding of the structure, function and control of genes and their gene products, but also for commercial exploitation of proteins. Producing recombinant proteins in forms that are biologically useful is a key challenge to the pharmaceutical industry and molecular cloning leading to expression of proteins of interest is the main focus of this book. Reproductive cloning is the process by which a whole organism is cloned. First, a cell is taken from the organism that is being cloned. The DNA from this donor cell is then transferred to an egg cell whose DNA has been removed. The egg cell is “activated” and begins dividing as if it was fertilized. This book presents the principles of gene manipulation and its associated techniques in sufficient details and also covers biological replication of DNA, restriction and endonuclease and other related enzymes.