A DNA construct is an artificially constructed segment of nucleic acid that is going to be "transplanted" into a target tissue or cell. It often contains a DNA insert, which contains the gene sequence encoding a protein of interest, that has been subcloned into a vector, which contains bacterial resistance genes for growth in bacteria, and promoters for expression in the organism. A DNA construct may express wildtype protein, prevent the expression of certain genes by expressing competitors or inhibitors, or express mutant proteins, such as deletion mutations or missense mutations. A DNA construct is often used in molecular biology to analyze macromolecules such as proteins or RNA in more detail.
Famous quotes containing the words dna and/or construct:
“Here [in London, history] ... seemed the very fabric of things, as if the city were a single growth of stone and brick, uncounted strata of message and meaning, age upon age, generated over the centuries to the dictates of some now all-but-unreadable DNA of commerce and empire.”
—William Gibson (b. 1948)
“Those are my enemies: they want to overthrow and to construct nothing themselves. They say: “All that is worthless”—and want to create no value themselves.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)