Question

The ability to construct recombinant DNA molecules and maintain them in cells is called ________.

• A. Libraries
• B. Cloning
• C. Plasmids
• D. Fusion

Hint:

The basic steps of DNA Cloning to memorize:
1. Cut (Restriction Enzymes)
2. Paste (Ligase to make Recombinant DNA)
3. Insert (Transformation into host)
4. Maintain/Multiply (Propagation in culture).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Concept:
The question asks for the overarching scientific terminology that encompasses the entire experimental process of creating recombinant DNA and propagating it within living host cells.

Step 2: Step-by-step Explanation:

• Cloning (Option B): In molecular biology, DNA cloning (or gene cloning) is defined as the experimental process of isolating a specific target DNA sequence, ligating it into a vector (constructing a recombinant DNA molecule), and introducing it into a host cell (like bacteria or yeast) where it can be actively maintained and replicated. This is the exact definition provided in the question.

• Libraries (Option A): A genomic or cDNA library is a large collection of cloned DNA fragments representing the entire genome or transcriptome of an organism. It is a resulting product of cloning, not the name of the methodology itself.

• Plasmids (Option C): Plasmids are the small, circular, extrachromosomal DNA molecules used as "vectors" or vehicles to carry the recombinant DNA into the cell. They are merely the tools used during the process, not the process itself.

• Fusion (Option D): Fusion typically refers to cell fusion (combining two cells) or creating fusion proteins (joining two genes together). It is a specific technique, not the broad term for constructing and maintaining recombinant DNA.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The complete process described is formally known as DNA cloning.