KIOSC

BACTERIAL TRANSFORMATIONS

Last week saw the Unit 3 Biology students attending a session at KIOSC, where they applied their theory in learning how to modify the DNA of bacteria. 

The steps that they undertook:

1. Cut it open a piece of bacterial DNA
2. Insert the human insulin gene
3. Close the DNA
4. Insert the DNA into a bacterial cell
5. Inoculate a plate with the bacteria
6. Grow the newly transformed bacteria

To determine whether the bacteria successfully took up the DNA, a fluorescence gene was also included.  When the newly transformed bacteria were exposed to UV light, they started to glow!

Our year 12 Biology students – future genetic engineers!!

Peter Kos 

Leader of Science and KIOSC