Introduction to Molecular Biology
What is Molecular Biology?
Molecular biology (or molecular biology) is defined as the study of organisms (organisms) at the level of the molecules that control and shape them, and while traditional biology focuses on studying organisms as a whole and how they interact within groups (top-down approach), molecular biology seeks to understand organisms by examining them. Its components are (a bottom-up approach), and both approaches are equally valid, however, advances in technology have allowed scientists to focus more on biomolecules and DNA in recent years.
An introduction to molecular biology
The DNA molecule is concerned with carrying the genetic instructions for almost every living organism, and its unique chemical structure not only allows this information to be copied and transmitted to the lineage of the organism, but also provides scientists with opportunities to investigate that organism at a molecular level, and as a result, the techniques of molecular biology are at the forefront. Most of the latest scientific research and a number of those common techniques related to DNA is mentioned in the following article.
Molecular biology is a specialized branch of biochemistry, which is the study of the chemistry of molecules particularly related to biological processes. Molecular biology is specifically concerned with both deoxy- and non-deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and proteins that are built using genetic instructions coded in those molecules. Other biological molecules, such as carbohydrates and lipids, can also be studied in this area for their interactions with nucleic acids and proteins.
Molecular Biology of Molecular DNA
Molecular biology is often separated from the field of cell biology (or cellular biology), which focuses on cellular structures (i.e. cellular organelles and the like), molecular pathways within the cell, and cell life cycles. The molecules that form the basis of life provide a more automatic and predictable tool for scientists to study. Work on an entire organism (or even just entire cells) may be unpredictable, and the results of experiments depend on the interaction of thousands of molecular pathways and external factors.
Thus, molecular biology provides scientists with a set of tools through which they can engage in experimenting with how life works, so they can use them to determine the function of individual genes or proteins, and to discover what might happen if one of them is absent or corrupted, and molecular biology is used to investigate when certain genes are activated and canceled. The reason behind this, and understanding each of the mentioned factors has led scientists to understand the mechanism of action of living organisms more and to use this knowledge to develop treatments when this mechanism is insufficient.
Common molecular biology techniques
The following list covers some of the most commonly used molecular biology techniques, but is not exhaustive:
●
Electrophoresis — a process that separates molecules, such as DNA and
proteins, from each other according to their size, and is a mainstay in
molecular biology laboratories. Although knowing the size of a particle
may not seem very important, it can be used to identify particles or
fractions of molecules, and to verify that the molecule being ingested
is the correct one.
● Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) — is a
process used to amplify very small samples of DNA into quantities that
can be used in later experiments, and is an essential tool in molecular
biology to ensure there is an adequate amount of DNA to accomplish
subsequent techniques, such as genetic modification, In addition to
having wider practical uses, such as in forensic medicine
(identification by means of a DNA profile) and disease diagnosis, PCR
can also be employed to introduce small point mutations into a gene
through a process called site-directed mutagenesis.
● Fractional digestion — The process of cutting DNA into small parts using enzymes active only on a specific genetic sequence.
● Splicing — The process of connecting two pieces of DNA together, useful when adding a new piece of this DNA to another genome.
●
Staining — a technique used to qualitatively identify bio molecules
after electrophoresis. The desired molecule is indicated by either a
tagged probe (complementary strand of DNA), or against a synthetic tag
of a specific protein.
● cloning — a technique of introducing a
new gene into a cell or organism that can be used to study the effect of
that gene expression on the organism, to transform a brother
A laboratory that produces large quantities of the protein that is symbolized by the gene, or (with the use of a marker) determining where to express the products of that gene in the organism. The introduction of a germ's genetic material is called transformation, while its introduction into a eukaryotic cell is called transfection. If a virus is used to introduce this substance, then the process is called transduction.
Each of the previous techniques is used in conjunction with other techniques to help scientists solve a specific research question. For example, after using PCR to produce large amounts of a specific gene, scientists can link the gene encoding a specific protein within a plasmidic vector (short circular band of DNA by acting as a carrier), and to accomplish rapid segmental digestion and electrophoresis to ensure that the gene was inserted correctly, and then use that plasmid to transform a germ cell that would be used to produce large quantities of the vector, and after purification from the germ, the vector is used to infect a mammalian cell within a cell culture, Next, the scientists use protein electrophoresis and Western staining to elucidate the product expression of the studied gene.
Also read:
- Most biology textbooks neglect insects - the most abundant animal on the planet
- These incredibly huge viruses defy biology and create their own genes
- By creating unnatural proteins and nucleic acids, will humans take control of biology?
- An introduction to molecular biology: DNA "first article"
- Can your identity be revealed by DNA even if you have never had a DNA test before?
- This may be the missing component of the origin of life
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