This lecture will discuss the basic mechanisms behind this technique and describe the various modifications of the standard PCR technique that have been developed to address specific problems in recombinant DNA technology. An overview of vector systems including plasmids, bacteriophage, cosmids and YACs. Genomic and cDNA libraries. Eukaryotes have large nuclear genomes, located on a number of chromosomes. Both the genome content and the number of chromosomes differ substantially among taxa, amongst others due to polyploidisation.
Transposons can also play an important role in eukaryote genomes.
The control of gene expression in eukaryotes is very different from the control in prokaryotes, and it is also much more diverse. The use of eukaryote genes poses special challenges for biotechnologists, especially when a prokaryotic organism is used as a host for expression. The function of mitochondria is similar in plants and in animals. However, mitochondria have a different size, organisation and rate of evolution in plants then they have in animals. This has consequences for the use of mitochondrial markers.