This lesson describes how changes in the DNA sequence of a gene can alter the synthesis of a protein and thus influence traits such as herbicide resistance.
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This lesson will detail the biochemical mechanisms and genetics of herbicide resistance in weeds. Herbicide resistance is one of the major issues in weed science today; therefore, it is important to have a basic understanding of the process by which it occurred. The management and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds in relationship to the biochemical mechanisms and inheritance of resistance will be explained. Resistance based on changes in the target site versus resistance based on detoxification or other types of resistance will be described.
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The polymerase chain reaction laboratory technique is used in a variety of applications to make copies of a specific DNA sequence. This lesson describes how a PCR reaction works, what it accomplishes and its basic requirements for success. Examples of interpreting results are given. PCR's strengths, weaknesses and applications to plant biotechnology are explained.
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This lesson will focus on molecular principles involved in the detection of biotechnology derived proteins in crops, using the lateral flow ELISA.
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Real time PCR is a laboratory technique that can perform relatively accurate, reliable and reproducible measurements, to quantitatively determine the presence of specific gene sequences. Its value is being recognized in a variety of applications, including transgenic (GMO) detection. It is becoming increasingly important to know what percentage of a particular transgene is present in an export shipment, for example. Real time PCR can also be used to support more traditional plant breeding techniques, making the process of distinguishing allelic variations more efficient. This lesson explains the principles of real time PCR and its' application, with examples in plant breeding and GMO detection.
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