Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Cloning

What is Cloning?

1. Who is Dolly?

Dolly was a sheep that was artificially cloned using an adult sheep's somatic cells.

2. When a zygote divides into to separate cells, it is called:

Natural twinning

3. Somatic cells are also called diploid.

4. In order to clone a gene, a gene is inserted into a plasmid.

5. In order to create an embryo from a somatic cell, the donor egg cell must have its nucleus removed.

Click and Clone

6. List all the materials needed to clone a mouse.

Microscope, petri dish, sharp pipette, blunt pipette, chemical to stimulate the cell, surrogate mother, egg cell doner

7. Place the following steps in the correct order.

4. Stimulate cell division
6. Deliver baby
2. Remove and discard the nucleus from the egg cell
1. Isolate donor cells from egg donor and germ cell donor
3. Transfer the somatic cell nucleus into the egg cell
5. Implant embryo into a surrogate mother

8. There are two time gaps in the process of cloning. What are they? (ie. what do you have to wait for?)

You have to wait for the DNA to adjust to the new cell during step 3, and you need to wait for the cells to divide during cell during step 4.

9. What color with the cloned mouse be? Brown What is the name of this mouse? Mini Mimi

Why Clone?

10. Why is cloning extinct animals problematic?

You need some kind of source for the DNA that is not always available and a closely related species must be the surrogate mother.

11. What are some reasons a person might want to clone a human?

To replace a deceased child or to help infertile couples to have a child.

The Clone Zone

12. What animal was cloned in 1885? Sea Urchins

13. How did Spemann separate the two cells of the embryo of a salamander in 1902? He made a noose out of baby hair and squeezed it aroud the cells.

14. The process of removing a nucleus is called enucleation.

15. In 1952, the nucleus of a tadpole embryo cell was placed into a donor cell. Did it work to clone the animal? It did work, but only with the younger embryos.

16. Can the nucleus of an adult cell be injected into an egg cell and produce a clone? Yes, it works.

17. Why are mammals hard to clone? Mammal eggs are smaller.

18. What were the names of the first two cloned cows? Fusion and Copy

19. In what year was the National Bioethics Advisory Council formed? 1995

20. The first mammal clone to be produced from an adult (somatic) cell? Dolly the sheep

21. What do scientists do to adult cells to make them "behave" like embryos? They have to reprogram the DNA so that they can settle into the cell.

22. Transgenic, cloned sheep were used to produce what medical protein? Factor XI, a protein used to treat hemophilia.

23. What is a stem cell? Cells that can change into any cell needed in the human body.

Cloning Myths

24. Briefly describe in your own words, why CC the cat was not identical in color to Rainbow, even though she was a clone. Some of Rainbow's genes were "turned off" earlier in her life, but the same thing did not happen to CC.

25. What is "nature vs nurture"? Nature is pretty much the way you were born, unlike nurture, which is how things around you influence you.

Is it Cloning or Not?

26. For each of the following scenarios, indicate YES (it is cloning) or NO (it is not cloning)

No Sperm taken from a mole goat is combined with a female's egg in a petri dish. The resulting embryo is implanted into the female's uterus to develop
Yes A sheep embryo, composed of 16 cells, is removed from the mother's uterus and separated into indivudal cells. Each cell is allowed to multiply, creating 16 separate embryos, which are then implanted in different female sheep to develop to maturity.
No A cow with many desirable traits is stimulated with hormones to produce a number of egg cells. Each of these eggs is fertilized and implanted into a surrogate mother.
No In vitro fertilization
Yes Cell nuclei from an extinct wolly mammoth are placed into enucleated cow cells.

27. Define or describe each of the following processes (you may need to reset the Cloning or Not Screen)

Invitro fertilization- The process of fertilizing an egg in a vitro solution, then placing it in a surrogate mother.

Embryo splitting- The process of splitting the cells of a small embryo apart from another and letting them grow in seperate organisms.

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer- A process in which the nuclei of egg cells are discarded and adult somatic nuclei fill their place. They are then placed in a surrogate mother.

Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer- An organism with desired traits is stimulated with hormones to produce many eggs. Then the eggs are placed in surrrogate mothers with undesired traits to develop.

Artificial Insemination- Germ cells from an organism with desired traits are used to fertilize by different organisms' germ cells.

What Are the Risks of Cloning?

28. What is one reason why cloning animals has such a high failure rate? The egg and the nucleus implanted in it may not be compatible with each other.

29. What is a telomere and how does it affect cloned animals? A telomere is the DNA sequence on each end of the chromosomes. In clones, they seem to be either longer or shorter than normal, changing the life span of the clones.

What Are Some Issues in Cloning?

30. Pick one of the questions to ponder and ....ponder it. Write a brief essay on your thoughts and opinions.

What are some of the social challenges a cloned child might face?

A cloned child would face a lot of challenges in their life. Many people might not consider him/her an actual person, or they my not know how to act around it because they havn't ever met anyone who was cloned. They may even be scared of the child. On the other hand, people might think that it is cool or interesting that the child was cloned. It would make them stand out, and make them special. But whether a good special or a bad special depends on how people see it. There will always be bullies and such that treat the child badly and tease them about being a clone. I would hate being a cloned child, mostly because I would feel like I stood out and such.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Harvest of Fear

1. What is a GM Crop.blank.gif
A GM crop are genetically modified crops that are usually improved in some way, but with possible unseen sblank.gifide effects.

2. List 2 arguments FOR the growing of GM crops
GM crops are effectively feeding our quickly growing population.

GM is actually a completely natural process that happens in the wild with different types of plants and animals.
3. List 2 arguments AGAINST the growing of GM crops.
GM crops would harm the environment.

GM crops will hurt small farmers.


Engineer a Crop

4. Practice this simulation until you get the largest ears of corn. How many times did it take you?

It took me two tries to get the largest ears of corn.

What’s for Dinner?

5. List two foods and describe how they are being modified.

French Fries are being genetically enhanced so that the potatoes will not absorb as much oil as usual and so they taste just as good even if they use a different, healthier type of oil.

Coffee is being GE so it will not have as much caffeine in it.

Viewpoints

Do you think food should be labeled if it has been genetically modified? Why or Why not?

I think they should because people have I right to know what they are consuming for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is important for them to make the decision whether or not they want to eat food GE food.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Epigenetics

A changing epigenome informs cell expression. A changing epigenome informs cell expression. Cells listen to signals so they can grow and divide. Once a signal arrives inside of a cell, proteins carry it where it needs to go.

Proteins have two main functions, one is to turn different genes on and off, while the other one is to get enzymes that add or remove epigenetic tags.Cells are always sending signals, although what technique they use depends on what age the human is at.

All of these can work together so signals can be sent more efficiently throughout the body. Hormones can send something much like radio signals.

Signals may come within the cell.

They can send signals to their neighbors through direct contact.

Expiriences a cell has is passed on to their daughter cells.


Epigenetics and Inheritance

Althrough we use to think that an embyro's epigenome was just completely rewritten, this is not completely true. Some of the tags remain in the same place they were for the parent. This is called epigenetic inheritance.

Overcoming the Reprogramming Barrier

For complex organisms to reproduce, the epigenome must be erased by a process called reprogramming. This needs to take place for a healthy baby.

To prove that epigenetic inheritance exists, scientists first need to rule out the possibility of genetic change and...

To show how the epigenetic effect can pass through enough generations to eliminate the possibility of direct exposure

Epigenetics introduce a whole other side to modern evolution theories.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

DNA Fingerprinting


1. DNA is unique for everyone. The only exception is if a person has what?
If the person has an identical twin.

2. What are DNA fingerprints used for?
They can be used to help solve a crime and identify a biological mother or father.

Part 1 “It Takes a Lickin”

3. What “crime” was committed?

Someone ate part of Jimmy's lollipop.

4. What bodily fluid was removed from the “crime scene” to get DNA?
Saliva

Part 2 “DNA Fingerprinting at the NOVA Lab”


5. What does a restriction enzyme do?
They cut the DNA at different locations.

6. What is agarose gel?
It is a think, porous, jello-like molecule strainer.

7. What is electrophoresis?
It is a process of moving electrically charged molecules.

8. Smaller fragments of DNA move ____________ than longer strands?
faster

9. Why do you need to place a nylon membrane over the gel?
Because it makes it easier to move than it would be without.

10. Probes attach themselves to __________
the DNA fragments on the nylon membrane.

11. Which chemical in your “virtual lab” is radioactive?
The probes.

12. Sketch your DNA fingerprint.
It is a stretch of horizontal lines that vary in thickness.

13. Based on your DNA fingerprint, who licked the lollipop?

Honey licked the lollipop.

14. What kinds of things could you do at the DNA workshop?

You could learn about DNA and protein synthesis.



Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Mitosis Tutorial Questions

1. Which stage does the following occur
Chromatin condenses into chromosomes: Prophase
Chromosomes align in center of cell: Metaphase
Longest part of the cell cycle: Anaphase
Nuclear envelope breaks down: Prophase
Cell is cleaved into two new daughter cells: Cytokinesis
Daughter chromosomes arrive at the poles: Telophase

2. The colored chromosomes represent chromatids. There are two of each color because one is an exact duplicate of the other.

--How many chromosomes are visible at the beginning of mitosis? 92
-- How many are in each daughter cell at the end of mitosis? 46
--The little green T shaped things on the cell are: centriolies
-- What happens to the centrioles during mitosis? The centrioles move up to the poles of the cell and then send out spindle fibers. The spindle fibers
3 . Identify the stages of these cells: 1. Metaphase
2. Anaphase
3. Interphase

(scanner not working properly, so was not able to sketch the cells phases. Instead, I just ended up describing them.)
Prophase- In prophase, the nuclear dissolves and the centrioles go to the poles of the cell. One they get there, they send out fibers known as spindler fibers that ripe apart the sister chromosomes later in mitosis.

Metaphase- The spindler fibers that are attached to the centioles connect to the sister chromosomes in the middle of the cell and ripe them apart. They then pull them to there designated sides of the cell and get ready to split apart.

Telophase- In telophase, the spindler fibers disolve while two nuclei develop on either side. Then, when the cell finally splits into two, a new membrane forms.

You will have 36 cells to classify. When you’re finished, record your data in the chart below.
Interphase: 20, 56%
Prophase:10,28%
Metaphase:3,8%
Anaphase:2,6%
Telophase:1, 3%
Total Number of cells:36
Percent of cells:100%

Mitosis in Whitefish & Onion Roots
For each organism, identify the stage of mitosis.

Whitefish
View 1-Telophase
View 2-Metaphase
View 3-Interphase
View 4-Anaphase

Onion
View 1-Anaphase
View 2-Metaphase
View 3-Prophase
View 4-Interphase
View 5-Anaphase