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9700 A Level Biology/Topic 19 Genetic technology/8 interactive simulations/drag to rotate the 3D models

Genetic technology, made interactive

Eight 3D simulations covering Topic 19.1 Principles of genetic technology, 19.2 Genetic technology applied to medicine and 19.3 Genetically modified organisms in agriculture. Get a gene, build a recombinant plasmid, run PCR and a gel, read a microarray, edit a genome and explore uses in medicine and farming.

1. Getting the gene 3D · 19.1

A gene to be transferred can be cut from donor DNA, made from mRNA, or synthesised chemically. Compare the three methods and the enzymes they use.

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Source

2. Recombinant DNA and marker genes 3D · 19.1

Recombinant DNA is DNA made by joining DNA from different sources. Insert a gene with a promoter and a fluorescent marker gene into a plasmid, put it into bacteria and check which ones express it.

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Steps

STEP

3. The polymerase chain reaction 3D · 19.1

PCR copies a chosen section of DNA many times. Run the thermal cycler and watch the temperature, the strands and the number of copies.

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Thermal cycler

CYCLE
0
STAGE
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COPIES
1

4. Gel electrophoresis 3D · 19.1

DNA fragments are separated by length in an agarose gel. Run the gel to compare DNA from a crime scene with two suspects.

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Gel

5. Microarrays and databases 3D · 19.1

A microarray has thousands of DNA probes. Labelled cDNA from two samples shows which genes are being expressed in each.

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Microarray

6. Gene editing 3D · 19.1

Gene editing inserts, deletes or replaces DNA at a specific site in the genome. A guide RNA leads a nuclease to the target, which cuts both strands.

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Edit

7. Genetic technology in medicine 3D · 19.2

Recombinant human proteins, genetic screening and gene therapy. Pick an example.

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Example

8. GM organisms in agriculture 3D · 19.3

Genetic engineering can raise the quality and productivity of food. Compare each GM organism with the non-GM version, then weigh up the issues.

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Organism

Built for Cambridge AS & A Level Biology 9700, Topic 19 (A Level). Molecules and organisms are simplified and not to scale.

About this lab: Genetic technology

Eight interactive 3D simulations for Cambridge A Level Biology 9700 topic 19 Genetic technology: obtaining genes from donor DNA, from mRNA with reverse transcriptase and by chemical synthesis, recombinant plasmids with promoters and fluorescent marker genes, PCR with Taq polymerase, gel electrophoresis and DNA profiling, microarrays and sequence databases, gene editing, recombinant proteins, genetic screening and gene therapy in medicine, and GM salmon, herbicide-resistant soybean and Bt cotton.

Eight 3D simulations covering Topic 19.1 Principles of genetic technology, 19.2 Genetic technology applied to medicine and 19.3 Genetically modified organisms in agriculture. Get a gene, build a recombinant plasmid, run PCR and a gel, read a microarray, edit a genome and explore uses in medicine and farming.

Genetic technology is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology 9700 (topic 19 Genetic technology). The course is assessed in Paper 1 (Multiple choice), Paper 2 (AS structured), Paper 3 (Advanced practical), Paper 4 (A Level structured), Paper 5 (Planning, analysis, evaluation). Syllabus for examination in 2025-2027. There are 8 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

Full syllabus map: A Level Biology 9700 topic 19.

How to use this simulation

  1. 1. Getting the gene. A gene to be transferred can be cut from donor DNA, made from mRNA, or synthesised chemically.
  2. 2. Recombinant DNA and marker genes. Recombinant DNA is DNA made by joining DNA from different sources.
  3. 3. The polymerase chain reaction. PCR copies a chosen section of DNA many times.
  4. 4. Gel electrophoresis. DNA fragments are separated by length in an agarose gel.
  5. 5. Microarrays and databases. A microarray has thousands of DNA probes.
  6. 6. Gene editing. Gene editing inserts, deletes or replaces DNA at a specific site in the genome.
  7. 7. Genetic technology in medicine. Recombinant human proteins, genetic screening and gene therapy.
  8. 8. GM organisms in agriculture. Genetic engineering can raise the quality and productivity of food.
  9. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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