In Genetics, What Is Gene Splicing?

Gene splicing basically means cutting a gene out of the DNA of one organism and pasting it into the DNA of a different organism. Various enzymes are used to do this. These restriction enzymes come from bacteria – they form part of the bacterium's 'immune system' against invasion by another organism or bacteriophage (a bacterial virus). Rrestriction enzymes cut the foreign DNA into precise sections and preventing it getting into the bacterium's DNA.

Different bacteria produce different restriction enzymes that cut any DNA at different places, making the DNA 'sticky' in some cases, which means they can be 'pasted' directly into DNA from another organism.

Using these restriction enzymes from bacteria, genetic researchers can splice genes from one organism into the DNA of another, giving the recipient organism a completely new gene. This is one of the basic techniques that is used in the practice of genetic engineering.