what do we have to know about Recombinant DNA Techniques (restriction enzymes and hybridization)?

[mrh125]

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I'm not sure how much we have to know. I know RFLPs basically involve the recognition and cleavage of certain sequences in DNA, but really im not sure how much detail we have to know. The berkeley review goes into a ton of detail, but a lot of it seems like stuff we wouldnt have to know well. help? Also, any explanation of those two topics would be appreciated.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

From the official science outline:

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: DNA AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
DNA Structure and Function
.
.
.
D. Recombinant DNA Techniques
1. Restriction enzymes
2. Hybridization
3. Gene cloning
4. PCR

So yes, you've got to know about those four things. How important is it for the MCAT? Interestingly, the 3rd edition Kaplan MCAT Bio book doesn't cover it at all. It doesn't even have "restriction enzyme" or "hybridization" in its index.

ExamKrackers 8th edition, on the other hand, has about two pages worth of text and two pages worth of diagrams/figures on "DNA Technology" which covers these points. A quick skim through that looks reasonable to me. I don't have the TBR bio book in front of me so I can't say if it's too much.

Given the increasing emphasis the MCAT seems to have been placing on what I call "the biology of the small" over the past several years, I'd feel comfortable knowing what's in the EK book, and uncomfortable taking the Kaplan approach of just skipping over that topic.