Difference Between Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein

The key difference between recombinant DNA and recombinant protein is that recombinant DNA is a molecule of DNA that is made by bringing together genetic material from different species and inserting it into a host organism to generate new genetic combinations, while recombinant protein is the protein that is translated by the host organism based on the information present in the recombinant DNA.

Recombinant DNA technology comprises of altering of genetic material outside an organism in order to obtain desired characteristics in living organisms or their products. The mechanism of this technology involves the insertion of fragments of DNA from a variety of sources containing a desirable gene via a suitable vector. Therefore, recombinant DNA and recombinant protein are important components of recombinant DNA technology.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Recombinant DNA
3. What is Recombinant Protein
4. Similarities – Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein
5. Recombinant DNA vs Recombinant Protein in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Recombinant DNA vs Recombinant Protein

What is Recombinant DNA?

Recombinant DNA is a molecule of DNA made by bringing together genetic material from different species in order to generate new genetic combinations. These new genetic combinations are very valuable to science, medicine, agriculture, and industry. Recombinant DNA is also defined as a piece of DNA that has been created by combining at least two DNA fragments from two different sources. Recombinant DNA is possible because the DNA molecules of all organisms share the basic chemical structure. They differ only in the nucleotide sequence within that identical overall structure.

Figure 01: Recombinant DNA

Recombinant DNA molecule is sometimes known as chimeric DNA molecule as they can be made of materials from two different species. When generating recombinant DNA molecules, for example, plant DNA can join bacterial DNA, or human DNA can join fungal DNA. Moreover, DNA that does not occur anywhere in nature can incorporate into recombinant molecules after the chemical synthesis in the laboratory. Further, the expression of recombinant DNA coded for foreign protein requires the use of a specialized expression vector in order to express in the host organism.

What is Recombinant Protein?

Recombinant protein refers to the protein that is translated by the host organism based on the information present in the recombinant DNA. Modification of DNA by recombinant DNA technology can lead to the expression of a recombinant protein. Recombinant protein is a manipulative form of the natural native protein. It is produced in various ways in order to increase the production of protein and manufacture useful commercial products. The production of recombinant protein starts at the genetic level where the coding sequence for the protein of interest should be isolated first and then cloned into an expression plasmid vector. Later, it is introduced into the host organisms via an expression vector. Then the host produces the protein of interest.

Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein - Difference

Figure 02: Recombinant Protein

Many recombinant proteins require protein modifications such as glycosylation. Yeast, insect cells, mammalian cell culture systems normally offer such post translational modifications. Recombinant proteins have different applications. They are used in enzymatic assays such as ELISA, western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, they are also used in biotherapeutics such as diabetes, cancer, infectious diseases, haemophilia, and anemia. Biotherapeutics recombinant proteins include antibodies, Fc fusion proteins, hormones, interleukins, enzymes, and anticoagulants.

What are the Similarities Between Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein?

Recombinant DNA and recombinant protein are produced through recombinant DNA technology.
They are not native molecules.
They are recombinant molecules.
Both need the help of an appropriate expression vector.
Their applications are very valuable in modern science, medicine, agriculture, and industry.

What is the Difference Between Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein?

Recombinant DNA is a molecule of DNA made by combining genetic material from different species generating new genetic combinations. Recombinant protein refers to the protein that is translated by the host organism based on the information present in the recombinant DNA. So, this is the key difference between recombinant DNA and recombinant protein. Furthermore, recombinant DNA is produced through molecular cloning in the laboratory, while recombinant protein is produced in the natural host cell. Thus, this is another difference between recombinant DNA and recombinant protein. Recombinant DNA is made up of nucleotides, while recombinant protein is made up of amino acids.

The following infographic lists the differences between recombinant DNA and recombinant protein in tabular form.

Summary – Recombinant DNA vs Recombinant Protein

Recombinant DNA technology is defined as the joining of DNA molecules from different organisms and inserting them into a host organism in order to produce new genetic combinations that are highly useful in science, medicine, agriculture, and industry. Therefore, recombinant DNA and recombinant protein are important components of recombinant DNA technology. Recombinant DNA is a molecule of DNA that is made by bringing together genetic material from different species that are inserted into a host organism to generate new genetic combinations, while recombinant protein refers to the protein that is translated by the host organism based on the information present in the recombinant DNA. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between recombinant DNA and recombinant protein.