Practice Passage Test - 1 | Practice Passages for MCAT PDF Download

The passage states that electroporation is a method of gene therapy in which DNA is stimulated to enter cells by exposure to an electric shock. It mentions that this procedure is traumatic to the cells.

The passage states that the most effective method of introducing foreign genes into cells is through the use of viral vectors. Among the given options, only retroviruses are mentioned as an effective method utilizing viral vectors.

The passage mentions that one of the limitations of retroviral vectors is the lack of precise control over gene expression due to the randomness of integration. This implies that DNA viruses and simple RNA viruses may have less precise control over gene expression compared to retroviruses.

The passage explains that reverse transcriptase is an enzyme in retroviruses that transcribes the RNA genome into DNA. This DNA is then inserted into the host's genome.

The passage mentions the potential problems associated with retroviral vector gene therapy, including random integration of the therapeutic gene, limitations in target cells (only cells that can divide), and the lack of precise control over gene expression.