NEETZoologyBiotechnology - Principles and Processes
A researcher is performing a bacterial transformation experiment using a modified plasmid vector. This specific plasmid possesses a functional 'ori' and multiple cloning sites, but it completely lacks any antibiotic resistance genes. What will be the immediate practical limitation of using this vector in the experiment?
Options
- AThe plasmid will fail to replicate inside the host cell.
- BIt will be impossible to select the transformants from the non-transformants.
- CThe foreign DNA cannot be ligated into the vector.
- DThe bacterial host cell will die immediately upon transformation.
Correct answer
B. It will be impossible to select the transformants from the non-transformants.
Step-by-step solution
In recombinant DNA technology, antibiotic resistance genes present on a plasmid act as selectable markers. They allow for the selection of transformants (cells that have taken up the plasmid) by permitting their growth on a selective medium containing the antibiotic, while non-transformants are eliminated. Since the modified plasmid lacks antibiotic resistance genes, it cannot provide a selectable marker. Consequently, both transformed and non-transformed cells will grow equally well on a normal medium, making it i