19.4 The practical applications of DNA-based biotechnology affect our lives in many ways

Many fields benefit from DNA technology and genetic engineering (基因工程)

Medical Applications醫療應用
One benefit of DNA technology is identification of human genes in which mutation plays a role in genetic diseases.

Researchers use microarray assays or other tools to identify genes turned on or off in particular diseases.

The genes and their products are then potential targets for prevention or therapy.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases
科學家們可以使用 PCR 和序列特異性引子 PCR and sequence-specific primers，然後測序擴增產物，以尋找致病基因或突變造成的許多人類遺傳性疾病.

SNPs may also be correlated with increased risks for conditions such as heart disease or certain types of cancer

Human Gene Therapy 人類基因治療
Gene therapy holds great potential for treating disorders traceable to a single defective gene

Vectors are used for delivery of genes into specific types of cells, for example bone marro 骨髓

Synthesis of Small Molecules for Use as Drugs
The drug imatinibis a small molecule that inhibits overexpression of a specific leukemia-causing receptors(基克利膜衣錠)小分子抑制特定白血病受體的過度表達

Protein Production in Cell Cultures
Protein Production by “Pharm” Animals
 * insulin,
 * human growth hormones, and
 * vaccines

山羊產生人類血液蛋白質的基因，在他生產的羊奶中便含有抗凝血劑等，並能從中萃取

Forensic Evidence and Genetic Profiles 法律上的證據與遺傳圖譜
Genetic profiles are currently analyzed using genetic markers called short tandem repeats ( STRs) (短縱列重複序列)

PCR and gel electrophoresis are used to amplify and then identify STRs of different lengths PCR 和膠體電泳被用於放大和辨識 STRs 的不同長度

Environmental Cleanup
Some modified microorganisms can be used to extract
 * minerals from the environment degrade potentially
 * toxic waste materials

Agricultural Applications
Beneficial genes can be transferred between varieties or species

The Ti plasmid is the most commonly used vector for introducing new genes into plant cells

Safety and Ethical Questions Raised by DNA Technology 基因科技所引發的安全與倫理的疑慮
Most public concern about possible hazards centers on genetically modified (GM)organisms (基改生物)used as food

RFLP restriction fragment length polymorphism 限制性片段長度多態性
在分子生物學中，限制性片段長度多態性(restriction fragment length polymorphism, RFLP)具有兩種涵義：一是DNA分子由於核苷酸序列的不同而產生的一種可以用來相互區別的性質；二是一種實驗技術，利用這種性質來比較不同的DNA分子. 這種技術可以用於遺傳指紋和親子鑑定.