The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is common in all organisms, it is found in the chromosomes inside the nucleus of a cell, it directs the cell to make the proteins that are the basis of life. Throughout the years, researchers have discovered how to transfer a specific piece of DNA from one organism to another A researcher's first step in transferring DNA is to "cut" or remove a gene segment from a chain of DNA using enzyme "scissors" to cut at a specific site along the DNA strand.  The researcher then uses these "scissors" to cut an opening into the plasmid — the ring of DNA often found in bacteria outside of a cell. Next, the researcher "pastes" or places the gene segment into the plasmid. Because the cut ends of both the plasmid and the gene