Insert the plasmid into bacteria.
Grow a large amount of bacteria
containing this plasmid.
How do you think researchers determine
which bacteria contain the plasmid and
which don’t? (Hint: look at the last step)
Give bacteria the opportunity to
insert the DNA into the plant cells.
Many innovations are inspired by nature.
Can you think of another one? (scientific or
other)
Isolate DNA that codes for the
protein you want to express.
Dip the flowering plant into a
large amount of bacteria.
What kind of trait would be helpful to add
to a crop plant?
What is a crop plant that you think could
be improved by the addition of a new
trait?
Can you think of another plant where this
trait is naturally found?
Insert the DNA into a plasmid.
This step requires cutting DNA and putting it
back together again! What specific
proteins help with this task? (Hint: think
about the special proteins involved in DNA
replication)
Select for plants that have the
insertion.
What is another way (other than growing
seeds on antibiotics) that researchers
could find out if DNA had been inserted?
Cardsort Instructions
This cardsort represents a good way for students to recap the steps of creating a
transgenic plant. Teachers should print out the first two pages back to back –
the picture should line up with the appropriate description if using standard 2sided printing, but check to be sure (EX: the picture of a plant being dipped in a
beaker of bacteria should have the description “Dip the flowering plant into a
large amount of bacteria” on the back.)
If 2-sided printing is unavailable, simply print out the second page with the
descriptions. Students could be asked to draw their own version of
accompanying images (this would be a good option regardless if there is extra
time)!
Students should first cut out the 6 pieces of the cardsort and put them in order.
The correct order is:
1. Isolate DNA that codes for the protein you want to express.
2. Insert the DNA into a plasmid.
3. Insert the plasmid into bacteria. Grow a large amount of bacteria containing this plasmid.
4. Dip the flowering plant into a large amount of bacteria.
5. Give bacteria the opportunity to insert the DNA into the plant cells.
6. Select for plants that have the insertion.
If there is extra time, one side of each card includes discussion questions that
could be answered alone or in groups on the cards. These deal both with
transgenic plants specifically and with tying this technology to previous
knowledge.
Possible answers include:
1. What kind of trait would be helpful to add to a crop plant? ANYTHING! (extra sweetness, better storage, etc.) Can you
think of another plant where this trait is naturally found? ANYWHERE! This trait could actually come from an animal too! At
one point researchers considered putting an anti-freeze gene from arctic fish into tomatoes!
2. This step requires cutting DNA and putting it back together again! What specific proteins help with this task? ENZYMES
3. How do you think researchers determine which bacteria contain the plasmid and which don’t? GROW BACTERIA IN
ANTIBIOTICS (the antibiotic resistance is on the plasmid)
4. What is a crop plant that you think could be improved by the addition of a new trait? ANYTHING (would be interesting
to tie back to the trait in question 1)
5. Many innovations are inspired by nature. Can you think of another one? SOLAR CELLS, TEXTILES, RECYCLING, etc.
6. What is another way that researchers could find out if DNA had been inserted? LOOK AT THE DNA! (sequence)