E. coli (as a genetic engineering tool)

E. coli is a common bacterium used in genetic engineering because of its fast growth and well-understood genetics. Scientists can insert specific DNA sequences into E. coli to produce desired proteins, such as insulin or enzymes. By manipulating its genes, E. coli acts as a biological factory, quickly multiplying and expressing inserted genes. This makes it an efficient, reliable tool for producing recombinant DNA, studying gene functions, and developing medicines, playing a crucial role in biotechnology and molecular biology research.