Cloning Trekiya Brown

I. What is cloning? Cloning is the creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another. This means that every single bit of DNA is the same between the two! How is cloning done? You may have first heard of cloning when Dolly the Sheep showed up on the scene in 1997. Cloning technologies have been around for much longer than Dolly, though. How does one go about making an exact genetic copy of an organism? There are a couple of ways to do this: artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer. How do these processes differ?

Continued… Is cloning an organism the same as cloning a gene? You've heard about cloning animals - sheep, mice, even house pets - in the news. From time to time, you may have also heard about researchers cloning, or identifying, genes that are responsible for various medical conditions or traits. What is the difference? Cloning an animal, or any other organism, refers to making an exact genetic copy of that organism. Cloning a gene means isolating an exact copy of a single gene from the entire genome of an organism. Usually this involves copying the DNA sequence of that gene into a smaller, more accessible piece of DNA, such as a plasmid. This makes it easier to study the function of the individual gene in the laboratory.

II. Click and Clone Isolate the donor cells Remove and discard the nucleus from the egg cell. Transfer the somatic cell nucleus into the enucleated egg cell. Stimulate cell division Implant the embryo Deliver the baby mouse clone

III. Clone Zone Year 1996 Hello Dolly Year 1997 Promises and Pitfalls of Human Cloning Year 1998 To Clone or Not to Clone Year 1999 Fibro Brings macho to Cumulina’s Arena Year 2001 Infertility Drives Cloning Research Year 2002 Supernatural Belief in Cloning

IV. Why Clone? Cloning for medical purposes Cloning animal models of disease Much of what researchers learn about human disease comes from studying animal models such as mice. Often, animal models are genetically engineered to carry disease-causing mutations in their genes. Creating these transgenic animals is a time-intensive process that requires trial-and-error and several generations of breeding. Cloning technologies might reduce the time needed to make a transgenic animal model, and the result would be a population of genetically identical animals for study. Cloning stem cells for research Stem cells are the body's building blocks, responsible for developing, maintaining and repairing the body throughout life. As a result, they might be used to repair damaged or diseased organs and tissues. Researchers are currently looking toward cloning as a way to create genetically defined human stem cells for research and medical purposes. "Pharming" for drug production Farm animals such as cows, sheep and goats are currently being genetically engineered to produce drugs or proteins that are useful in medicine. Just like creating animal models of disease, cloning might be a faster way to produce large herds of genetically engineered animals.

Continued… Reviving Endangered or Extinct Species A well-preserved source of DNA from the extinct dinosaur, and A closely related species, currently living, that could serve as a surrogate mother Reproducing a Deceased Pet If you really wanted to, and if you had enough money, you could clone your beloved family cat. At least one biotechnology company in the United States offers cat cloning services for the privileged and bereaved, and they are now working to clone dogs. But don't assume that your cloned kitty will be exactly the same as the one you know and love.

V. Clone Myth Misconception #1: Instant Clones: Let's say you really wanted a clone to do your homework. After reviewing What is Cloning? and Click and Clone, you've figured out, generally, how this would be done. Knowing what you know, do you think this approach would really help you finish your homework...this decade Misconception #2: Carbon Copies: Your beloved cat Frank has been a loyal companion for years. Recently, though, Frank is showing signs of old age, and you realize that your friend's days are numbered. You can't bear the thought of living without her, so you contact a biotechnology company that advertises pet cloning services. For a fee, this company will clone Frank using DNA from a sample of her somatic cells. You're thrilled: you'll soon have a carbon copy of Frank - we'll call her Frank #2 - and you'll never have to live without your pal! Right?

Continued… Explain why cc and rainbow look different even though they are clone. Very early in her development, each of Rainbow's cells "turned off" one entire X chromosome - and therefore, turned off either the black color gene or the orange one. This process, called X-inactivation, happens normally in females, in order to prevent them from having twice as much X-chromosome activity as males. It also happens randomly, meaning that not every cell turns off the same X chromosome. As a result, Rainbow developed as a mosaic of cells that had one or the other coat color gene inactivated - some patches of cells specified black, other patches specified orange, and still others specified white, due to more complex genetic events. This is how all calico cats, like Rainbow, get their markings. CC looks different because the somatic cell that Rainbow donated to create her contained an activated black gene and an inactivated orange gene. What's interesting is that, as CC developed, her cells did not change that inactivation pattern. Therefore, unlike Rainbow, CC developed without any cells that specified orange coat color. The result is CC's black and white tiger-tabby coat. Rainbow and CC are living proof that a clone will not look exactly like the donor of its genetic material.