VGEC: Teacher Notes

Gene cloning card tutorial

An activity that allows students to work together, individually or as a group, to design a strategy to produce a medically important protein using recombinant DNA technology. The students will make a number of guided choices to produce a procedure for cloning and expressing the relevant gene.

The activity is available in two versions:

  • A set of cards in a PDF file that can be printed and laminated. This format is suitable for group working.
  • A PowerPoint version containing links. This version is suitable for individual use.

Intended learning outcomes

  • To understand the steps involved in using recombinant DNA technology to clone a medically important protein.
  • To be able to devise an appropriate strategy to clone and express a specific protein.

Files provided

1 GeneCloning.docx/rtf/pdfThis document.

2 CloningCards.pdfA PDF file containing the cards for the hard copy version (group working).

3 CloningPowerPoint.pptx/pdfThe PowerPoint version of the activity (individual working).

Procedure/ materials

Students are provided with a series of cards (in hard copy or via the PowerPoint presentation).

The cards begin with a general introduction (cards 2–3) and the outline of the characteristics of the three particular proteins (cards 4–6).

Protein 1: Somatostatin. A 14 amino acid peptide hormone that inhibits the secretion of other peptide hormones.

Protein 2: Human epidermal growth factor (hEGF). A 53 amino acid polypeptide chain.

Protein 3: Factor IX. A 415 amino acid glycoprotein that is involved in blood clotting.

After choosing which protein they want to produce, the students work through the remaining cards and produce a strategy for cloning and expressing the relevant gene(after discussion in the group if appropriate). The cards give full details of the procedures involved and information to guide the students’ decision at each stage in the process.

At the end of each card the students are given a choice as to what to do next. Some of the decisions will lead to dead ends as the students will have done something incorrectly. Other decisions will eventually lead to the production of the selected protein.

The students must consider the fact that, for the purpose of simplicity, it is assumed that all techniques work with 100% efficiency. Of course, this is rarely the case in real life.

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