If an entire human gene is transferred to bacteria , will the bacteria make a functional protein from the gene

Question

If an entire human gene is transferred to bacteria , will the bacteria make a functional protein from the gene

Answer 1

Probably no. The complete human gene contains introns that the bacterium has no way of removing. In addition, there may be post-translational modifications needed for the protein to become functional and, again, the bacterium may not be able to do this.

Answer 2

Robert D has it exactly right.

However - there is a way of inserting a eukaryotic gene into a bacterium and having it be transcribed and translated successfully.

You first isolate the mRNA for the gene (NOT the genomic DNA), and use Reverse Transcriptase to create a DNA copy from that RNA template - this is called cDNA.

This cDNA will not contain any introns, as they have already been removed in processing the original mRNA. So the bacterium will be able to transcribe and translate the protein no problem.

Of course, this doesn't get around Robert D's other point of post-translational modification of the protein. If the protein requires to be phosphorylated, glycosylated, or any other modifications in order to function - then even this protein won't work.

Answer 3

yes this is correct. that is how scientists hav been able to make large numbers of human proteins.

they use bacteria bc they reproduce very rapidly and in very large numbers.

Answer 4

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