Elementary plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (2+1)

Genetic Engineering or Recombinant DNA technology

• Recombinant DNA (rDNA) is the DNA, generated in vitro, by covalently joining DNA molecules from different sources. The technology associated with construction and application of recombinant DNA is referred to as genetic engineering or genetic manipulation or rDNA technology. The basis of rDNA technology is a set of key enzymes and techniques, which allow DNA to be manipulated and modified precisely.


Any rDNA experiment has the following four essential steps:

1. Generating DNA fragments,
2. Cutting and joining the DNA fragments to vector DNA molecules,
3. Introducing the vectors carrying the foreign DNA into host cells where they can replicate and
4. Selecting the clone(s) of recipient cells that have acquired the recombinant DNA molecules.