Answer:
A)Sticky-end ligation
B)Blunt-end ligation
C)Topoisomerase-mediated ligation
D)Homologous recombination
Explanation:
A) <u>Sticky-end ligation</u>: It's when in the cloning experiments the most commonly restriction enzymes generate a 4-base single-stranded overhang called the "sticky" or "cohesive" end. these "sticky" ends anneal to other compatible cohesive ends. Then this two ends form a one single "cohesive" or "sticky" ligation.
This commonly used method is performed at a temperature of 12-16°C, or at room temperature, or alternatively at 4°C for a longer period.
B) <u>Blunt-end ligation</u>: This method does not requires a base-pairing of the protruding ends. That is why any blunt end may be ligated to another blunt end. The restriction enzymes <u><em>SmaI</em></u> and <u><em>EcoRV</em></u> are commonly use to generate the "Blunt-ends". The biggest benefit of using this method is that the desired insert does not require any restriction sites in its sequence, because the blunt-ends are usually generated on a normal PCR. However, the "sticky-end" ligation is more efficient, since the blunt-end method is 100 times slower. That is because it does not have protruding ends, so the ligation reaction depends on random collisions between the blunt-ends and therefore is consequently much less efficient. So in order to compensate for the lower efficiency; the concentration of ligase used is 10 times higher than sticky end ligation (10x or more)
C)<u> Topoisomerase-mediated ligation</u>; This method is used to avoid applaying ligase for ligation, and the cloning process is more faster because there is no need to use a restriction digest of the vector or insert. In this method an attached topoisomerase I activates a linearized vector, then the "TOPO-activated" vector will accept a PCR product by ligating to both of the 5' ends of the PCR product, the topoisomerase is released and a circular vector is formed in the process.
D)<u> Homologous recombination</u>; This is also a method that does not requires to use <em>ligase</em>, thanks to the use of a DNA recombination process. One example is the "Gateway cloning system", in which The gene cloned into the cloning vector, may be introduced by recombination, into a variety of expression vectors.