Q: Recombinant DNA

[CABC/W95]

Tim Taylor (timt at aisb.ed.ac.uk) wrote:
: I'm interested in the question of whether it is possible to implant
: recombinant DNA which has been engineered to, say, produce insulin,
: into an organism so that the new ability will be maintained by future
: generations of the organism in an evolutionarily stable manner. Do
: genetic engineers who work with such things generally only get the
: engineered protein production in one generation, or how many
: generations does this go on for?


	I believe that many generations can be realized from proper 
vector transmission to a suitable host. Eli Lilly/Genentech corporation 
produce their HUMULIN using rDNA mutants of E.coli but there is always a 
risk of mutation down the generation line. Prototype cultures are always 
kept on hand (eg. stored in liquid nitrogen with cryopreservative) for 
such occurances and also for the purposes of improving yields of product 
or for other favourable characteristics. For great references, Prescott's 
"Microbiology" or Cruegar and Cruegar's "Biotechnology" have excellent 
information on recombinant DNA practice and theory.