Final answer:
The cloning and expression of insulin in bacteria allows for the mass production of insulin, making it more affordable and accessible. Bacteria are transformed with the human gene for insulin and use it to produce a protein that is chemically identical to naturally produced insulin. This protein can then be collected and used to treat patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cloning and expression of insulin in bacteria allows for the mass production of the desired product. Through the process of transformation, the human gene for insulin is placed into bacteria, which use that gene to make a protein. This protein, which is chemically identical to naturally produced insulin, can be separated from the bacteria and used to treat patients.
By using bacteria as tiny factories to produce insulin, the mass production of this medicine became much more affordable. This is because bacteria can take up any DNA from the environment during transformation, enabling large quantities of insulin to be produced.