10. Describe briefly the following:

(a) Origin of replication

(b) Bioreactors

(c) Downstream processing

 


(a) Origin of Replication This is a sequence from where replication starts and any piece of DNA when linked to this sequence can be made to replicate within the host cells. The origin of replication is defined as the DNA sequence in a genome from where replication initiates. The initiation of replication can be either uni-directional or bi-directional. A protein complex recognizes the 'on' site, unwinds the two strands, and initiates the copying of the DNA.

(b) Bioreactors Bioreactors are large vessels used for the large-scale production of biotechnology products from raw materials. They provide optimal conditions to obtain the desired product by providing the optimum temperature, pH, vitamin, oxygen, etc. Bioreactors have an oxygen delivery system, a foam control system, a PH, a temperature control system, and a sampling port to obtain a small volume of culture for sampling. The most commonly used bioreactor is the stirring type.

(C) Downstream Processing Downstream processing is a method of separation and purification of foreign gene products after the completion of the biosynthetic stage. The product is subjected to various processes in order to separate and purify the product. After downstream processing, the product is formulated and is passed through various clinical trials for quality control and other tests.