Recombinant Types

"Recombinant" is a broad term in genetics that can be used to describe several different things. However, there is a common overlap in the use of the term, namely that it has some connection to DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which is the basis of all living organisms. Three of the more common uses of the word "recombinant" in biology are descriptions of different types of organisms, DNA itself and viruses.

Recombinant Organisms

• Recombinant organisms are any organisms that are created by combining alleles that differ from their parents. Alleles are different forms of a DNA strand. In nature, an organism gains it alleles through a combination of its parents' DNA; thus, a recombinant organism is not an organism that exists in nature (because all natural organisms have alleles similar to their parents) but is instead genetically created. Common example of recombinant organisms include specially grown crops used by farmers that are resilient to certain types of diseases and bugs.

Recombinant DNA

• For a recombinant organism to be created, scientists must first create recombinant DNA. Recombinant DNA is commonly created through a method called "transformation," which involves cutting off a piece of DNA from a naturally made strand and inserting it into specially prepared host cells (which are often bacterial) in order to grow a new strand. Recombinant DNA comes into being after the host cell creates new proteins after the insertion of the strand.

Recombinant Viruses

• Although recombinant DNA can be used to create a recombinant organism, it can also be used to just create a single new strand. One of the most common uses for a single recombinant strand is a recombinant virus. Recombinant viruses are used as vaccines against the natural form of the virus. Scientists create the recombinant virus by splicing a dead strand of the virus with a host cell, which is then safely injected into the patient. This allows the body to develop an immunity to a virus without becoming ill.