What is Webcutter?
Webcutter is a useful tool for experimenters working with recombinant DNA. In the last 20 years, the field of biology has been redefined by the discovery of restriction enzymes, or endonucleases, that cut DNA into small fragments that are easy to manipulate. One exciting consequence of this is that important human genes, like the gene for insulin, can be put into organisms like bacteria or yeast that can be grown on industrial-size scales or in the laboratory. Almost all modern biology makes use of restriction enzymes to manipulate DNA sequences. 

How do I use Webcutter?
To use Webcutter, enter a DNA sequence. The sequence can be one you already know, or Webcutter can use the on-line database GenBank to find the sequence of a gene you're interested in. Webcutter contains a database of the restriction sites of hundreds of different endonucleases and will help you pick the best one for your experiments. Increasingly, biological research is being done with the help of resources on the internet, such as Webcutter, to handle the enormous DNA sequence information that is rapidly being discovered.

Find the identity of a DNA sequence
One important internet resource to use is NCBI's BLAST search. To try a BLAST search, go to the National Center for Biotechnology Information homepage. Follow the links for BLAST. Several genome databases containing the majority of known DNA sequences are also available free to the public there.

Map the restriction sites of a DNA sequence
To map the restriction sites of a DNA sequence, use Webcutter.

More about Webcutter
This unique kit lets your students experience how computers are used in a biotechnology research laboratory. Our kit includes 3 modules. In Module 1, you and your students do 2 dry labs designed to introduce DNA sequencing. In Module 2, your students log onto the Internet to use our Webcutter software, which interfaces with the National Center for Biotechnology Information Web site, to determine both the identity of their gene fragment and its restriction map. In Module 3, students take the plasmid containing their gene fragment and do 2 restriction enzyme digests and gel electrophoresis to confirm the identity of their unknown gene. Materials are sufficient for 6 teams of students. Materials needed but not supplied include Scotch® tape, scissors, computer with Internet access, 37° C water bath, micropipet, gel electrophoresis chambers, and power supply.
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