How does recombinant DNA compare with gene therapy?

Answer 1

Gene therapy is a treatment of disease by replacing genes.

Recombinant DNA is a DNA resulting from gene-linking. That is when a DNA extracted from two or more different sources such as genes from different organisms and joined together to form a single molecule or fragment.

Answer 2

On the surface, there appears to be little if any similarity. In the broadest of definitions, gene therapy is the insertion of genetic material into a cells genome to produce a desired effect. In the process of making a transgenic organism, this is exactly is what is done to an embryo or gamete. In this sense, transgenic organisms are produced using a technique that is also used in gene therapy, but with very different mechanisms, and for very different reasons.

Transgenic organism is specifically this: an organism grown from an embryo that has been modified with genetic material from another organism in an attempt to improve some function or structure of the organism. An example of this would be BT Corn with a higher resistance to pests.

Gene therapy is an attempt at replacing or repairing dysfunctional or detrimental genes in a fully formed organism. This must be carried out by a vector (something to carry and insert the modified DNA to the correct cells).

The most common vectors are viruses, whose envelope may be changed to carry engineered genetic material and bind to the desired target cells. This is one of the difficult parts of gene therapy, viruses are fairly simple, and getting large amounts of genetic material into them is a challenge. Once the vector with the engineered DNA is injected into the target organism, the virus binds to its target cell and inserts the DNA into its genome. This can have the effect of replacing or repairing faulty genes like those responsible for some kinds of blindness, muscular wasting diseases, certain kinds of Diabetes, and all sorts of diseases that are caused by slightly irregular DNA sequences that result in irregular protein shapes or receptor affinity/response. If a disease is caused by a faulty protein or receptor, gene therapy may be able to treat it. Gene therapy is having a lot of growing pains, but holds great potential to treat or cure many of the world's worst diseases.

Answer 3

Recombinant DNA technology involves transferring genes from one organism to another to produce desired traits, while gene therapy is a targeted approach that involves introducing new genetic material into a patient to treat or prevent a genetic disorder. Recombinant DNA is used in research and biotechnology to create genetically modified organisms, whereas gene therapy is a potential medical treatment for genetic diseases in humans.

Answer 4

Gene therapy is when doctors take a sample and instead of changing or killing a tumour using drugs, they actually alter the very genetic make-up using gene-splicing technology.