Bacteria in Biotechnology
Biology: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 21.1.1
Bacteria in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
The following properties of bacteria make them useful in biotechnology and genetic engineering:
Rapid reproduction rate
Able to make complex molecules
Share genetic code with all other organisms
Contain plasmids
- Plasmids are circular pieces of DNA that can be manipulated to contain particular genes (and thus produce proteins) with relative ease.
No ethical concerns
- There are no ethical concerns about causing harm to living organisms during the growth and manipulation of bacteria.
Test yourself on Bacteria in Biotechnology
What do we call the circular pieces of DNA found in bacteria?