Final answer:
A vector ligated with cDNA insert is correctly referred to as a recombinant vector, as it enables the study and replication of the gene of interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question asks whether a vector that has been ligated with a cDNA insert can be called a recombinant vector. The answer is True. When cDNA is inserted into a vector, such as a plasmid, the resulting DNA molecule is referred to as recombinant DNA. This recombinant plasmid can then be introduced into a host cell to replicate and possibly express the protein encoded by the inserted cDNA. The process involves cleaving vector DNA and linking cDNA inserts to form a new molecule suitable for gene cloning. Recombinant vectors are key tools in molecular biology and biotechnology for amplifying and studying genes, as well as for producing recombinant proteins.
The preparation of a recombinant vector typically involves cutting vector DNA with restriction enzymes to create 'sticky ends' that are compatible with the ends of cDNA inserts. Once ligated together, this recombinant vector can be introduced into host cells, commonly bacteria, which will then replicate the vector along with its inserted gene. This method is fundamental in creating transgenic organisms, studying gene function, and manufacturing proteins for research and therapeutic uses.
The vector that has been ligated with the cDNA insert can indeed be called a recombinant vector, as it consists of DNA from different origins artificially combined to allow study and replication of the inserted gene.