Characteristics of Enzymes and Cloning Vectors Used to Create Recombinant DNA

Molecular cloning is a suite of techniques that allow researchers to manipulate DNA and produce DNA molecules with novel combinations of genetic information from different organisms. Molecular cloning, typically referred to simply as cloning, is made possible by co-opting cellular enzymes normally involved in DNA replication, recombination, and repair and using these both in vitro and in vivo to manipulate and combine DNAmolecules from different sources. The products of molecular cloning are known as recombinant DNA. Successful cloning requires segments of DNA that allow the recombinant DNA to replicate in a host organism. These segments of DNA are known as cloning vectors and have been engineered with a range of features that facilitate both the cloning process and further analysis of the recombinant DNA. Knowledge gained from molecular cloning is at the foundation of our current understanding of biology and has resulted in significant advances in biotechnology.