abstract:Molecular cloning is a set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms. The use of the word cloning refers to the fact that the method involves the replication of a single DNA molecule starting from a single living cell to generate a large population of cells containing identical DNA molecules.
Today, advances in molecular biology are enabling researchers to isolate subcelluar components of viruses to develop vaccines through cloning, said Adel Mahmoud, a senior molecular biologist at Princeton University.
Intersecting advances in cloning, genetics, instrumentation, and molecular and structural biology have allowed researchers to see beyond the exterior morphology of cells and tap their component molecules for solutions.