bio unit 4 final
Read and interpret the results of gel electrophoresis
sample A and D are related
Sanger sequencing
- DNA polymerase will stop if a tagged nucleotide is added (green, red, blue, or purple). - If a regular nucleotide is added, it will continue until the tagged nucleotide pops up
Explain the process of gel electrophoresis
1. A chemical means of separating DNA fragments of different sizes using electricity 2. DNA ladder: a solution containing DNA fragments of known sizes (ruler) 3. Fragments travel a certain distance depending on their size (the smaller the fragment the further it goes)
Explain the Asilomar Conference regulations and why they were necessary
1. Containment should be your #1 priority 2. The level of containment is going to depend on the organism 3. No use of highly pathogenic organisms 4. No production of toxic compounds 5. These regulations were necessary because there was much uncertainty to what could happen.
Explain the process and components of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
1. Heat up your DNA sample, which separates the DNA strands 2. Apply primers (small chunks of DNA that locate the specific sequence you want to copy) 3. DNA polymerase copy the sequence starting at the primer 4. Repeat 25x
Describe what evidence was used by early scientists to suggest races were biologically different
1. Linneaeus: subspecies of human-based off stereotypes (culture, government, clothing) 2. Biblical explanation: the curse of ham, great chain of being 3. Physical anthropology: differences in bone structure 4. Evolutionary explanations
Explain the concept of homology and what purpose it serves
1. Organisms share particular genes due to common ancestry 2. If we know what genes are responsible for a particular trait, it is likely we can find the equivalent in another organism (homolog) ---- Which can lead to experimentation
Explain the purpose and function of a GWAS study
1. Take a group of individuals with a history of a particular trait, as well as a group of individuals without a history of that trait 2. Sequence the genomes of all individuals 3. Compare them to find mutations strongly associated with one group vs another 4. Find genes associated with particular traits
Argue your position/opinion regarding a bioethical dilemma/concern
1. What is the right thing to do in a bioethical dilemma 2. What is the worthwhile thing to do 3. What are our obligations to other people 4. Who is responsible to whom and for what 5. On what moral grounds are claims made
The purpose of DNA polymerase in Sanger sequencing is to: A. Add nucleotides to copy a DNA sequence B. Cause terminal DNA nucleotides to fluoresce C. Terminate the addition of DNA nucleotides D. Locate the specific DNA sequence we want to copy E. Provide the DNA template for copying
A. Add nucleotides to copy a DNA sequence
Free radical theory of aging
Accumulation of harmful oxidants that can cause cellular damage
Mutation Theory of aging
Accumulation of mutations that lead to the breakdown of physiological systems
What is Darwinism?
Darwinism (natural selection): individuals who are better suited to their environment (due to their specific genotype and phenotype) are more likely to reproduce
Free radicals cause cellular damage because they: A. Add electrons to molecules, causing them to become misshapen B. Remove electrons from molecules, causing them to become misshapen C. Add oxygen atoms to molecules, causing them to become misshapen D. Remove oxygen atoms from molecules, causing them to become misshapen E. None of the above
B. Remove electrons from molecules, causing them to become misshapen
When looking at STRs between individuals, we are comparing: A. The specific nucleotides in the sequence B. The number of specific repeats in the sequence C. The percentage of overlap or similarity between the STRs D. The number of copies of each STR produced during PCR E. None of the above
B. The number of specific repeats in the sequence
Telomere Theory of aging
Breakdown of telomeres at the end of chromosomes as a result of frequent cell division. Once telomeres are gone, cell stops dividing
Which of the following experiments/situations would violate the rules of the Asilomar Conference? (choose all that apply) A. Production of Bt corn B. Genetically modifying chickens to produce larger eggs C. Genetically modifying cherries to have no pits D. Genetically modifying smallpox with ebola genes E. Genetically modifying poppy plants to produce more opium
D. Genetically modifying smallpox with ebola genes E. Genetically modifying poppy plants to produce more opium
Green fluorescent protein is an example of a __________________ A. Promotor B. Repressor C. Transcription factor D. Reporter E. MicroRNA
D. Reporter
Explain how Sanger sequencing works
Determine the final DNA sequenced based on DNA fragments
(True/False) During PCR, the temperature of the solution is increased to allow the primers to attach to their specific sequences.
False
Tagged nucleotides
Free bases of DNA that have a fluorescent tag on them. when hit by a laser, it will shine a particular color (green, red, blue or purple). If a tag nucleotide is added, no other nucleotides will be added.
Explain the difference between a genetically modified and engineered organism
GMO: any organism that has had its genome altered in any way. (Either through engineering or breeding techniques) GEO: an organism which has had its genome altered through modern molecular techniques
Explain how different forms of negative eugenics achieves this goal
Negative eugenics: removing individuals with undesirable trains 1. Anti-immigration laws prevent undesirable people from entering the country 2. Anti-miscegenation laws (prevented interracial marriage) 3. Forced sterilization laws (if you were feeble-minded, promiscuous, an alcoholic, or what have it), you could be sterilized by the state 4. Genocide
A stem cell can become any other type of tissue cell, meaning it is considered
Pluripotent
Social Darwinism and how it relates to race and eugenics
Social Darwinism: the rich and powerful individuals in a population are more "fit" for modern society, as compared to the poor/weak individuals in that population 1. People who were more fit: white Europeans 2. People who were less fit: non-whites 3. This paints a target on those populations that would be removed via eugenics
Explain how Bt corn functions
Take the gene responsible for cry toxin (from bt) and insert it into corn so that anytime an insect eats the corn it gets poisoned and dies (the toxin punches holes in the insects gut lining)
Describe the purpose or intention of eugenics
The intention is to improve the genetic stock of the human population through intentional or selective human breeding
Explain how the first recombinant organisms were produced
The plasmid in E.coli was sliced open and a frog gene was introduced. The frog gene got spliced into the plasmid, repaired, and the bacteria started making frog protein
Stem cell theory of aging
The production of stem cells slowing down, which results in cells dying faster than they can get replaced Undifferentiated , and Pluripotent
True/False All genetically engineered organisms are GMOs, but not all GMOs are genetically engineered.
True
True/False Homologous genes are shared between organisms due to common ancestry.
True
Explain the purpose and function of a reporter gene
Wherever your gene of interest is being expressed (utilized), the reporter gene will also be expressed. The reporter protein will glow under blacklight.
In what order would the above sequences pass through the sequencing machine? (image)
answer: 4, 3, 1, 6, 2, 5