Genetic engineering processes can make human insulin. Human insulin
DNA is placed into the DNA of a second organism. The host organism becomes an insulin-producing factory.
People with diabetes (called diabetics) do not correctly produce or use their
insulin protein. The insulin protein helps control how much sugar is in your
bloodstream. Millions of diabetics need to take insulin. Insulin from cows and
pigs has been used since the early 1900s to treat diabetes. Now human insulin
protein can be mass-produced through genetic engineering processes.
Move your mouse over each picture to see how to produce insulin through GE.
The gene for producing HUMAN insulin protein is isolated.
The gene is part of the DNA in a human chromosome. The gene
can be isolated and then copied so that many insulin genes
are available to work with.
2. Prepare Target DNA
In 1973, two scientists named Boyer and Cohen developed a
way to take DNA from one organism and put it in the DNA of
bacterium. This process is called recombinant DNA technology.
First, a circular piece of DNA called a plasmid is removed
from a bacterial cell. Special proteins are used to cut the
plasmid ring open.
3. Insert DNA into Plasmid
With the plasmid ring open, the gene for insulin is inserted
into the plasmid ring and the ring is closed. The human insulin
gene is now recombined with the bacterial DNA plasmid.
4. Insert Plasmid back into cell
The bacterial DNA now contains the human insulin gene and
is inserted into a bacteria. Scientists use very small needle
syringes to move the recombined plasmid through the bacterial
cell membrane.
5. Plasmid multiply
Many plasmids with the insulin gene are inserted into many
bacterial cells. The cells need nutrients in order to grow,
divide, and live. While they live, the bacterial cell processes
turn on the gene for human insulin and the insulin is produced
in the cell. When the bacterial cells reproduce by dividing,
the human insulin gene is also reproduced in the newly created
cells.
6. Target Cells Reproduce
Human insulin protein molecules produced by bacteria are
gathered and purified. The process of purifying and producing
cow and pig insulin has been greatly reduced or eliminated.
7. Cells Produce Proteins
Millions of people with diabetes now take human insulin produced
by bacteria or yeast (biosynthetic insulin) that is genetically
compatible with their bodies, just like the perfect insulin
produced naturally in your body.
