What is Recombinant DNA Technology? Describe its medical applications

Recombinant DNA Technology is the part of genetic engineering in which cells are genetically engineered to obtain a valuable product like enzyme, metabolites, insulin, hepatitis vaccine which plays an important role in medical microbiology in addition to other prospects. The maximum benefits of biotechnology have been utilized by health care. This technology derives proteins and polypeptides to form the new class of potential drugs. Since 1982 human insulin has been produced by microorganisms in fermenters, used to treat diabetes.

Applications of Recombinant DNA technology
• Recombinant vaccine like Hepatitis-B vaccine: Microorganisms are genetically modified with Hepatitis gene and cultured so as to produce huge amount of hepatitis vaccine to treat hepatitis-B.
• Golden rice: Golden rice is medicinal plant product in which plant is recombinant with vitamin A producing gene and grown on field to obtain Golden rice which is widely used in treating blindness and malnutrition person.
• Recombinant metabolites like insulin: insulin can be produced on large scale by recombinant technology on microorganisms and used to treat the diabetic patient. Recombinant insulin is recognized by humulin.
• Recombinant enzymes: Recombinant DNA technology is done on microorganisms to produce large scale of enzyme like urease, streptodecase, alpha asparaginase, trypsin etc. for different purposes.
• Changing blood group: Enzymes provided by recombinant DNA technology is widely used to change blood group. Polysaccharides on RBC determine each type of blood group like A and B which on enzymatic hydrolysis, polysaccharides is removed and type A and B converted to O and are used widely in blood transfusion.
• Gene Therapy to cure genetic disease: Gene therapy is done directly by gene gun into patient body to cure a genetic disease which is also a recombinant technology.
• Criminal Investigation: DNA finger printing or polymerase chain reaction is a recombinant DNA technology in which single gene is amplified on large scale an investigate criminal on the basis of genome sequence.
• Diagnostic mechanism: Monoclonal anti body like immunoglobin can be produced on large scale by recombination of microorganisms with antibody gene and these monoclonal antibodies is used to depict pregnancy, cancer, allergy etc.
• Prevents from environmental disease: Recombinant DNA technology nowdays become basic tool obtaining recombinant organism for achieving metabolites which are responsible for eliminating environmental pollution. As it clears environment, it protests from disease, caused by pollutions. For eg. Pseudomonas putida used to treat oil spillage on sea and prevents from disease caused by oil on consumption through water.