What is a complementary DNA (cDNA)?

Complementary DNA or cDNA is a complementary copy of a stretch of DNA produced by recombinant DNA technology.

CDNA or Complementary DNA
cDNA Library construction

Complementary DNA is a type of DNA that is created by the enzyme reverse transcriptase. Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that can produce DNA from RNA.

Reverse transcriptase is made up of 2 subunits, and this enzyme is found in certain viruses. For example, the AIDS virus is a retrovirus and has reverse transcriptase, which is what allows it to make a DNA copy of the RNA of HIV virus.

Scientists use complementary DNA as a tool to study genetic disorders because they know what the DNA of healthy cells should look like. They can then use complementary DNA to find out what the DNA of cells without the disorder looks like. Complementary DNA is also used in genetic engineering. The DNA found in living organisms can be changed by the addition of specific genes.

To achieve this, scientists cut a gene from a chromosome and use complementary DNA to replace it. This is known as DNA cloning.

The reparation of cDNAs is often the first step in cloning DNA sequences of interest.

It is used as specific and sensitive probes in hybridization studies because cDNAs usually do not include regulatory or other controlling sequences, and so they can be used to identify (probe) and isolate genes and their associated sequences from genomic DNA.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) clone

A double-stranded DNA molecule that is carried in a vector and was synthesized in vitro from an mRNA sequence by using reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) cloning

A method of cloning the coding sequence of a gene, starting with its mRNA transcript. It is normally used to clone a DNA copy of a eukaryotic mRNA. The cDNA copy, being a copy of a mature messenger molecule, will not contain any intron sequences and may be readily expressed in any host organism if attached to a suitable promoter sequence within the cloning vector.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) library

A collection of cDNA clones that were generated in vitro from the mRNA sequences isolated from an organism or a specific tissue or cell type or population of an organism.

3 Comments

  1. Complementary DNA, often referred to as cDNA, is a copy of the genetic material found in a gene. It is created from mRNA through a process called reverse transcription.

    cDNA can also be used to make a DNA library, which is a collection of different cDNA clones from a given tissue. cDNA libraries are used in a variety of research applications, such as gene expression analysis, gene mapping, and medical diagnostics. cDNA can also be used to synthesize proteins in vitro, providing researchers with an important tool for studying protein function and structure. In short, cDNA is a powerful tool for researchers who are interested in understanding the fundamentals of genetic information.

  2. Complementary DNA (cDNA) is the form of DNA that is created when a reverse transcriptase enzyme converts a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule into a double-stranded DNA molecule.

    This process is essential for the production of a functional cDNA library. cDNA libraries are used in many aspects of genetics research, including gene expression studies and gene cloning projects. cDNA libraries are also used to construct DNA microarrays, which are used to measure the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously.

    cDNA libraries are also used to identify and characterize novel genes.

    By comparing two cDNA libraries, researchers can identify differences between two genomes and study gene function. Finally, cDNA libraries are used to identify and isolate human genes associated with certain diseases or genetic disorders. Overall, cDNA libraries play an important role in genetics research, and are responsible for many breakthroughs in the field.

  3. Complementary DNA, or cDNA, is a form of DNA created from messenger RNA (mRNA). It can be used to create a DNA library, which is a collection of DNA molecules from a particular species.

    Complementary DNA is created through a process known as reverse transcription. This involves using an enzyme to turn the mRNA into DNA, which is then copied, or amplified, using a process called PCR.

    After this, the cDNA molecules can be used for many different applications, such as gene cloning and DNA sequencing. Complementary DNA is also used for gene expression studies, where researchers can study which genes are active in a particular organism or tissue. By understanding the expression of genes, scientists can gain insight into how different diseases work and develop treatments.

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