Question

Write the steps in the production of human insulin by genetic engineering method.

Answer 1

Hint: Human insulin can be produced by inserting the human insulin gene into the plasmid, putting the plasmid into bacteria, and putting the “recombinant” bacteria in fermentation tanks. There, the bacteria begin producing human insulin.

Complete answer:
In this question, we have asked the step of production of human insulin be genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology. Insulin is synthesized as a prohormone, which has an extra C chain. This C peptide is not present in the mature insulin and is removed during maturation into insulin. So, we produce A and B separately,
The recombinant human insulin can be produced by following steps:
1. The human insulin is extracted from pancreatic cells of humans and two genes are extracted that are responsible for insulin chain A and chain B production.
2. In the second step we extract a plasmid DNA from a bacteria and form a plasmid vector.
3. Then insert the human insulin chain A and B producing genes into this plasmid vector. This results in the formation of recombinants DNA.
4. The next step is introduction of recombinant DNA again into the bacterial cell. This results in the formation of the recombinant bacterium.
5. Then put the recombinant bacteria into the large fermentation tank where it multiplies. Each bacteria will produce human insulin chain A and chain B.
6. These A and B insulin chains are then extracted, purified and combined by creating disulfide bonds to form human insulin.
And by this way, recombinant human insulin is produced.

Note:
The purity and quality of recombinant human insulin is superior to animal and semisynthetic insulin and it is safe and effective as compared to animal or semi synthetic humans.