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This module will familiarize the student with the basic tools and concepts used by molecular biologists in their scientific work. The biological workhorse in these experiments is the plasmid, a small piece of engineered DNA which contains a genetic element (gene) that can be expressed by the bacterial host into which it is inserted. The concepts and techniques taught in this unit are: (1) inserting plasmid DNA into bacteria, (2) culturing the modified bacteria, (3) purifying plasmid DNA from bacteria, (4) analyzing plasmid DNA using restriction enzymes, and (5) amplifying a small segment of DNA using PCR.

• Introduction/Photos
• Team Members
• Teaching DNA By Analogies
• Teachers' Guides:
  • Bacterial Transformation
  • Plasmid Isolation
  • Restriction Enzyme Digest Analysis
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Recombinant DNA Resources