Which one of the following techniques made it possible to genetically engineer living organisms?
- Recombinant DNA techniques
- X-ray diffraction
- Heavier isotope labeling
- Hybridization
Answer
(1) Recombinant DNA techniques
Solution
As per NCERT, genetic engineering consists of techniques to alter the chemistry of genetic material (DNA and RNA), introduce it into host organisms and thus change the phenotype of the host.
⇒ The construction of the first recombinant DNA (Cohen and Boyer, 1972) — recombinant DNA technology — made it possible to genetically engineer living organisms.
X-ray diffraction, isotope labelling and hybridisation do not by themselves transfer genes into organisms.
Answer: (1)