2011 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2011. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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Genes work in a particular environment. Can a plant gene be expressed and work in animals?      Pam Schwartzberg, M.D., Ph.D.: I currently study mouse models of primary immunodeficiencies (genetic diseases that impair the ability of the immune system to fight infections) and how specific disorders affect responses to infectious diseases. We do express animal genes in plant cells very often (to express alot of a gene product). Likewise, we can express plant genes in animal cells or transgenic animals if we want to study them or use them to label another protein. One might need to change the regulatory region that controls expression of the gene (ie express the gene from the promoter of an animal gene or a gene that is broadly expressed). University of Molecular biology and bioinformatics (Higher Education )

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