Unit 6 Reflection

Genetic Engineering Reflection

Chapter 13 is extremely useful especially since the concept of genetic engineering is contemporary. Genetic variation was something that is important in our everyday lives, because without it we would not be able to look different, have disabilities, or have different sizes. Selective breeding allows us to pick traits that we want, and keep them throughout generations. For example, if a dog had a resistance to fleas, then that dog would be “selectively bred”, so its genes would be put into another dog, which would also have that flea resistance.

Inbreeding results in unique characteristics being preserved, while the two organisms will create somewhat of a hybrid. Breeders purposely induce mutations to increase the genetic variation in a community, whether it be a good mutation or a bad one.

We conducted a gel electrophoresis lab in class, which demonstrated how scientists separate DNA bases on size. We put the same amount of food color into each socket, and when we ran the current through the gel, whichever color moved the fastest through the gel would be the smallest, and whichever one moved the slowest and the least distance would be the bigger one. It can be used to identify a particular gene in an entire genome.

http://wliubiology.blogspot.com/2016/01/candy-electrophoresis-lab-questions.html

Recombinant DNA is when a gene is taken from one organism and attaching it to the DNA of another organism. First, the DNA is “cut” open in one place, then the gene is inserted. After that, the DNA is spliced back together. We conducted a lab on recombinant DNA where we used two rings, one of them being the DNA, and the other one being the gene.

http://wliubiology.blogspot.com/2016/01/recombinant-dna-lab.html

Cell transformation started with bacteria. When dead bacteria cells were mixed with live ones, the live ones accepted the DNA from the killed ones and it becomes a component of the cell’s DNA. If a plasmid that has the DNA from the dead bacteria enters a bacterial cell, the sequence will replicate the DNA. After the cell duplicates many times, the entire culture is given some antibiotics, which results in only the transformed cells surviving since they have the resistance gene that the other ones did not. Scientists can locate these specific, transformed cells with genetic markers.

Genetic engineering can be used in many ways. It can make fish glow green, make grapes very large, and tobacco plants glow in the dark. It has increased the usage of biotechnology, which we have had a vodcast on. It increased the amount of plants being grown, which results in more food production faster. Cloning has also been introduced. If there is a sheep with a resistance to bacterial illnesses, then it can be cloned to make an identical sheep that also has this resistance. Cloning has resulted in many controversial problems, as well has mutations and other defects or problems. We had a lab on genetic engineering called the pGLO lab, where we inserted the gene for glowing green into bacteria. After a few days, when a UV light was shone upon the bacteria, it indeed, was glowing green. We inserted the DNA into the same container as the bacteria, and after heat shocking the container, the pores of the bacteria opened up and accepted the bacteria. This resulted in the pGLO being duplicated until it made many colonies of glowing green bacteria.

https://lgsuhsd.instructure.com/courses/2529/assignments/12439?module_item_id=46093

pGLO Observations

1.

Plate	Number of Colonies	Color of Colonies under room light	Color of colonies under UV light
-pGLO LB	carpet	dark yellow	slightly purple/ dark yellow
-pGLO LB/amp	none	-	-
+pGLO LB/amp	150-200	dark yellow	slightly purple/ dark yellow
+pGLo LB/amp/ara	47	dark yellow	glowing green

2. One glows under the presence of UV light. One multiplied in colony size greatly, and one didn’t have any colonies at all.

3. There were 47 colonies for the plate with arabinose(counted), and the one with no plasmid but LB had an uncountable amount of colonies, resulting in “carpet”. The plate with no plasmid but had LB and ampicillin had no colonies at all, while the plate with the plasmid, LB, and ampicillin had 150-200 colonies of bacteria.

4. Arabinose is the sugar that essentially turns on and makes GFP glow green and is also an alternative carbon source for E.coli.

5. To test and see if inserting genes into organisms will work.

GFP shows us when proteins are made.

Researching why GFP developed in the Aequorea victoria jellyfish.

6. A) Engineering chickens to be fatter and bigger in order to sell more chicken.
B) Genetically altered grapes that are larger.

Candy Electrophoresis Lab Questions

1.
A ) no
B) no
C) yes
D) no
2. Betanin (beetroot red)- because it most closely represents a dye used for the gel.
3. Dye is added to animal food because it makes the literal food piece look more appetizing. Rather than a bland rough ball its more textured, meaty looking, and looks healthier, which will increase the chance someone will purchase it.
4. The strength of the positive and negative side, and also the structures of the dyes, whichever one is heavier moves less and whichever one moves more is lighter.
6. The current running through the gel pulls the dyes towards the anode.
7. The current running through the gel will attract the dyes, and whichever one can maneuver and pass through the structure of the gel the fastest are the smaller dyes, while the ones that move the slowest are the bigger dyes.

PC: Kimi Uenaka

PC: Kimi Uenaka

8. I expect the 600 to move far, towards the end of the gel, and the 1000 to move a little less, 2000 to move even less, and 5000 to move the least. 

Recombinant DNA Lab

Recombinant DNA Analysis

The process of producing recombinant DNA starts with cutting the Plasmid. After cutting it, we taped it into a ring using any order, creating our ring of DNA. Next, we cut the cell DNA out, and taped each strip together. We then used our restriction enzymes to find parts in our rings that matched. When we were done testing the 8 enzymes, whichever one was used in the DNA rings were to get cut. The insulin gene and the plasmid were then “spliced” together. We then tested to see if the plasmid was taken into the host bacteria cells. An example would be ampicillin, as it is an antibiotic that is usually able to kills bacterial cells.

1. Tetracycline, kanamycin, and ampicillin. I would use these three because these usually kill the host bacteria.
2. The restriction enzyme cuts open the plasmid at one site. This is because the DNA will be inserted there. We used Eco R1 and Hin dIII because they were on both of the human genes twice.
3. The DNA won’t be able to be inserted into the plasmid.
4. This process is important in everyday life because this prevents us from contracting illnesses and diseases that would harm us.
5. This process could be used to increase the amount of eggs a chicken produces. This way, we can breed less chickens, kill less chickens, and still get the same amount of eggs. Either that, or we could keep less chickens penned up and only have a few produce a large amount of eggs.

New Years Goals

New Years Goals

My new years goal for biology is concise. Continue doing what I have been doing in class, except be more in the class. What I mean by “in the class” is to pay attention, not only to what Mr. Orre is saying, but also pay attention to my surroundings. Are my classmates paying attention? What part of the book is he talking about right now? Does this part deserve attention or do I already know this thoroughly? If I can improve on these few things, then I will be able to achieve better understanding and a higher grade in this class.

My new years goal for golf is much different than biology. Paying attention to surroundings can matter, but most of the time I will try to zone out, paying attention to mostly my game and my game only. Other’s game I will give no attention towards, and if I stray from my goal I will try to redirect my course to where I want to be. Getting to the top 8, or being a traveler should be a stepping stone. My goal is to place in the top 4, where I feel I can be if i devote enough time and work to short game and my irons. Accuracy is key on Saratoga Country Club, and if I continue to scramble successfully and hit the greens, I can secure a spot in the top 4 for myself.