The Chain Reaction (PCR) is a laboratory technique that permits copying in vitro of specific DNA sequences and has revolutionized the field of molecular biology. Conceptually, the PCR is a simple technique is to heat the separation of the two strands of DNA to be amplified is, and a copy simultaneously from a point determined by an artificial DNA fragment called primer, through the action of an enzyme called DNA polymerase. The result is a doubling of the number of molecules of a particular sequence of DNA. This process is repeated a number of times or cycles, such as 30, and achieved an increase or exponential amplification of the number of copies of template DNA fragment. Read the rest of this entry »

The introduction of rapid methods of sequencing in the late ’70s represented a major shift in studies of two methods of DNA sequencing of nucleic acids. One of them (Maxam and Gilbert) chemical reagents used to cut DNA at specific base. The other is called enzymatic chain termination or dideoxy (Sanger, Nicklen and Coulson). The purpose of both is to get the whole sequence of each of the bases that form a nucleic acid fragment. Read the rest of this entry »

Chemical molecules are attached to the probe and that will enable the detection of this after a process of hybridization. There are many types of reporter molecules: radioactive (32P, 35S), affinity (Biotin, Digoxigenin …), enzymatic (phosphatase, peroxidase …) and chemiluminescent (esters of acridine).

What factors affect the sensitivity and specificity of the hybridization reaction? Read the rest of this entry »

Reprogramming somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells mature is one of the top scientific advances of recent years. The generation of iPS cells specific to a patient may have applications in cellular therapy. Three years ago, researchers at the University of Tokyo (Japan) first introduced the technique of transformation of adult cells in other mouse that had the potential of embryonic, 1 thus opening a new alternative to obtaining pluripotent cells without being embryonic stem cells. Later, U.S. researchers obtained human iPS cells for the first time. Read the rest of this entry »

Fanconi Anemia is a common disease hereditary syndromes group of bone marrow failure. The induced pluripotent stem (iPS: Induced pluripotent stem cells) can be obtained in vitro from skin fibroblasts and from other somatic cell division, introducing specific genes or gene products that reprogram the somatic cell nucleus matures. The most common protocols used viral vectors to transfer four specific genes (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-MYC). Similar to embryonic cells, iPS cells can grow indefinitely in the laboratory and have the ability in vitro to differentiate into several cell lines, including hematopoietic line. Read the rest of this entry »

Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte, PhD in Biochemistry and Pharmacology from the Universities of Bologna and Valencia, has postdoctoral at the University of Marburg and the European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL) in Heidelberg. Since 1993 works in the Gene Expression Laboratory at the Salk Institute in California and runs a prestigious center for work performed with the zebrafish animal model. Read the rest of this entry »

The introduction of rapid methods of sequencing in the late ’70s represented a major shift in studies of two methods of DNA sequencing of nucleic acids. One of them (Maxam and Gilbert) chemical reagents used to cut DNA at specific base. The other is called enzymatic chain termination or dideoxy (Sanger, Nicklen and Coulson). The purpose of both is to get the whole sequence of each of the bases that form a nucleic acid fragment. Read the rest of this entry »

Hybridization solution: The probe and target nucleic acid are in a liquid. The hybridization conditions must be in order. The rate of formation of the duplex under these conditions is high. The problem with this type of hybridization is the elimination of unreacted probe, using among other methods nuclease S1-precipitation with trichloroacetic or hybridization protection assay. Read the rest of this entry »

Few areas of molecular biology have not changed with the emergence of a number of techniques subsumed under the generic term for Genetic Engineering and interchangeably referred to as cloning, recombinant DNA or genetic manipulation. Before the development of Genetic Engineering was not possible to isolate a particular eukaryotic gene in sufficient quantities for study molecular or your product. Read the rest of this entry »

How does a DNA molecule encoding a protein?

Translation: The plant cell responsible for the synthesis of proteins is the ribosome. The specific molecules that will move the amino acids (building blocks of proteins) following the guidelines issued by the mRNA is the tRNA. Each tRNA has a specific anticodon (composed of three bases). Read the rest of this entry »