Question

What is Cloning Animal ? Describe the method of Cloning Animal.

Answer 1

Gene cloning:

Definition: The process of introducing a foreign DNA into a host cell (bacteria,plant or animal) and producing the progeny of all which contain the inserted gene is called Cloning.

To accomplish the cloning process the small part of DNA i.e., gene is inserted into vector DNA forming recombinant DNA molecule. The vector acts as a vehicle for the replication and expression of the gene.

Transformation is the process of introducing the vector into the host cell. This host cell carrying the gene is produced into number of identical cells called Clones. In the clones the gene is transcribed to produce desired proteins and this process is called the expression.

Need for cloning:

1. To produce required proteins in large quantities. Eg: Insulin, hepatitis A vaccine.
2. To manipulate or alter the biological pathways. Eg: used to control ripening in fruits in agriculture
3. To alter the gene and make changes in protein structure.Eg: monoclonal antibodies.

Cloning methods:

1.Somatic cell nuclear Transfer: This is the technique in which the enucleated oocyte is seperated and inserting a donor nucleus from a somatic cell into it. Dolly the first cloned animal is produced through this method. In this method a viable embryo is produced from a body cell and egg cell. Oocytes were enucleated at metaphase II stage and electrofused with donor somatic cells. This is a type of therapeutic cloning.

2. The Honolulu Technique is a technique using the adult cells and nuclei for cloning. In this cloning technique the cell’s nucleus is removed and a donor nucleus is injected into an egg.