Recombinant DNA

How has the advent of recombinant DNA techniques aided in our understanding of proteins such as interferon, insulin, and interleukins?
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Recombinant DNA technology has wholly changed the study of molecular biology, allowing researchers to manipulate DNA sequences and create different genetic material combinations. The technology enables using suitable vectors to insert DNA fragments from other sources but with the required gene sequence. The researchers then manipulate the organism's genome by introducing new genes and regulatory factors or reducing endogenous gene expression by recombining the elements and the genes. In essence, recombinant DNA technology combines DNA molecules from various sources and puts them into another organism to generate suitable products (Prajapat & Jain, 2022). Such technology has promoted and enhanced the understanding of different aspects of molecular biology. This paper will critically discuss how the advent of recombinant DNA techniques has helped us understand such proteins as interferon, insulin, and interleukins.
Insulin
Insulin is a critical hormone in regulating blood glucose levels which researchers have studied extensively through recombinant DNA techniques. Insulin is an antidiabetic hormone produced in large quantities in the body by the beta cells of Langerhans found in the pancreas. The primary function of insulin is to deal with a nutrient surplus (Hafizal, 2022). The beta cells produce and store insulin. Insulin is integral in treating and managing diabetes due to porcine and bovine pancreas purification. Recombinant DNA technology development improves the comprehension and production of insulin by yeast and E. coli. Through the technology, researchers understand the production of Humulin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and E. coli. The technology can use E. coli expression system and trigger the production of inclusion bodies by polypeptides and insulin precursors constructed through the technology's replication and solubilization processes (Hafizal, 2022). Moreover, recombinant DNA technology offers a quick approach to understanding insulin. The technology allows comprehension of genetic expressions of mutations introduced by cloned insulin into eukaryote genes (Begna, 2020).
Interferon
Interferons refer to a family of proteins that contribute significantly to the immune response to such diseases as cancer and viral infections. They are proteins that embody antiviral activity. Considering their rapid expression during the viral infection process, they form an integral part of the defense mechanism against various viruses (Brzoska et al., 2020). Recombinant DNA techniques have helped a great deal in understanding the structure, therapeutic applications, and function of interferons. As mentioned above, researchers, through this technology, h...