NEETZoologyBiotechnology - Principles and Processes
What is the purpose of using bacteriophage or plasmid as a vector in genetic engineering?
Options
- ATo control the replication of their genome
- BTo increase the copy number of their genome
- CTo decrease the copy number of their genome
- DTo make it difficult to link foreign DNA
Correct answer
B. To increase the copy number of their genome
Step-by-step solution
You know that plasmids and bacteriophages have the ability to replicate within bacterial cells independent of the control of chromosomal DNA. Bacteriophages because of their high number per cell, have very high copy numbers of their genome within the bacterial cells. Some plasmids may have only one or two copies per cell whereas others may have 15-100 copies per cell. Their numbers can go even higher. If we are able to link an alien piece of DNA with bacteriophage or plasmid DNA, we can multiply its numbers equal t