Top 2 Types of Host Cells| Biotechnology

The following points highlight the top two types of host cells. The types are: 1. Prokaryotic Host Cells 2. Eukaryotic Host Cells.

Host Cell Type # 1.

Prokaryotic Host Cells:

The bacterium Escherichia coli fulfils its used widely in many cloning protocols. E. coli has been studied in great details, and many differ­ent strains were isolated by microbial geneticists as they investigated the genetic mecha­nisms of this prokaryotic organism.

In addi­tion to E. coli, other bacteria may be used as hosts for gene cloning experiments, with ex­amples including species of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces. The process of transferring a DNA into a prokaryotic host cell is called transformation.

Host Cell Type # 2.

Eukaryotic Host Cells:

One disadvantage of using a prokaryotic host is that it lacks the membrane bound nucleus (and other organelles) found in eukaryotic cells. This means that certain eukaryotic genes may not function in a prokaryotic host cell as they would in their normal environment, which can hamper their isolation by selection mecha­nisms that depend on gene expression.

Also, if the production of a eukaryotic protein is the desired outcome of a cloning experiment, it may not be easy to ensure that a prokaryotic host produces a fully functional protein. Eu­karyotic cells range from microbes (e.g., yeast and algae) to cells from complex multicellular organisms (e.g., plant and animal cells).

The method of introducing the recombinant DNA into host cell depends on its type. Fol­lowing are the few techniques which are used for this purpose. The process of transferring a DNA into a eukaryotic host cell is called as transfection.