This week it is your turn to find a current event related to our current unit - DNA, genetics, protein synthesis, and transformation. Find a news article related DNA. Write the name of the article and the author in your post. Paste the link into your comment. And then describe the article and how it relates to what you have learned in this unit.
Here are some sources that you can use to find articles:
SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/science/
Science News: http://www.sciencenews.org/
NY Times Science News: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/
Popular Science: http://www.popsci.com/
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http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64442/title/Gene_therapy_for_depression
ReplyDeleteI thought that this article was very interesting. Scientists have recently found out that the lack of a protein called p11 may be the cause of depression. Scientists have made studies on mice and have noticed that mice lacking p11 showed signs of despair. they didn't struggle when held by their tails and they didn't want to drink the sugar water. They think that if they inject a virus containing the protein, that it might reverse the depression. They tested it on the mice and injected the virus in to the nucleus accumbens. The results were actually positive and the mice no longer showed signs of despair. The scientists will soon start testing it on primates and see if it is deadly and then they will eventually begin testing it on humans.
Has the "gay gene" been found in female mice? By Mara Hvistendahl
ReplyDelete(http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/has-gay-gene-been-found-female-mice)
This article caught my attention for its title as I am sure it will catch yours. The article talks about the genes in a rat, yes rats also have genes that give them their characteristic. What is neat is that scientist can play with them. For Ex., a group of Korean geneticists altered a gene in a female mouse called the FucM. Without it the female rat thinks as if she was a male and therefore is attracted to their same sex. This new discovery is a bit interesting considering it might occur the same way in humans.
This article relates to our genetics studies in biology. We learned what genes are and where they are found, but most importantly, what they give us. Genes/Exons give me and you our traits, and in this article, it was proven that if you mess with genes, you mess with your traits.
Do Cloned Wild Animals Have Instincts?
ReplyDeleteby Bjorn Carey
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-08/do-cloned-wild-animals-have-instincts
This article is explaining the answer to the question of whether or not cloned animals still have animal instincts. The answer is they do. The genes that control those instincts are also passed on when cloning an animal. They aren't just physical copies of the animal, they are just like any other animal from the species. This implies that they share all characteristics, including hunting, mating and any other instinct. This is interesting to me because when I think of cloning, I don't think that they are the same as other animals.
This has to do with what we are learning because it is all focusing on the genetics of life. We learned that the genes we get, determine out traits, and this article reveals that they also provide us with our instincts.
Protein Synthesis
ReplyDeletehttp://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/GG/protein_synthesis.php
This article clearly shows what we've been studying this week. Its short and straight to the point. In transcription DNA is "transcribed" in to mRNA. MRNA can exit the nucleus and get itself to the ribosome. Translation is the process of mRNA coding for amino acids.
Why does hair turn gray? By Anne Marie Hathcock
ReplyDeletehttp://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2002-09/why-does-hair-turn-gray
This article was all about the genetics behind hair turing grey. Melanin is the chemical that gives the hair its color. Different types of melanin give hair its different color. And different types of melanin a person has is determined by pigment cells, which are controlled by genes. Therefore, the genes control a person's hair color. As humans age, the hair follicles stop producing the melanin that gives hair color, causing it to turn grey. Hair strands usually go grey by themselves. This would be because there is not a central place where the melanin is produced. Scientists say that there is research that we could possibly reverse the greying process sometime in the future. But right now, people will just have to deal with the realization of aging... and lots of grey hair. This has to do with what we are learning about, because we have been studying DNA and genetics. We have learned all about genes, which determine people's traits, and they also give people grey hair.
Environmental DNA modifications tied to obesity by Tina Hesman Saey
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63405/title/Environmental_DNA_modifications_tied_to_obesity
The article by Tina Hesman Saey discusses the recent discovery of DNA modifications and how it has the ability to affect a person's bodyweight. Scientists have been researching the details that might explain whether calorie intake and exercise are the only factors that influence a person's size; they believe there may be other reasons beyond those two factors. A study published on September 15 demonstrated that chemical DNA modifications could possibly affect one's risk at developing disease. This is called epigenetic, and alter the way genes are turned on/off. Saey's article relates to our current unit because it discusses DNA and the effects of DNA mutations.
http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/GG/protein_synthesis.php
ReplyDeleteThis article is called protein synthesis. This article is just the steps of protein synthesis. It talks about transcription and translation and where everything takes place. This article is exactly what we've learned in class. The visual also looks like some of the photos we have seen in class too.
In my biology class I am learning about genes and DNA. The article I have chosen is about killer whales and the species they are categorized in. Scientists have been debating about whether killer whales belong to one species or to several. In new research, scientists have discovered DNA evidence which indicates that killer whales should be classified in at least four different species. Scientists used to think that the killer whale belonged to the Orcinus orca specie. Now they have discovered that these marine mammals belong to several groups called ecotypes.
ReplyDeleteThis article is about a scientist in South Korea who was doing an experient on rats and their genes. Changing some of the female rat's genes(FucM), the rat became "gay."
ReplyDeleteI find this really interesting, considering the fact that a lot of people think homosexuality is from the genes of the person.
This relates to what we've been learning about the DNA/genes and how it makes up the human body. But I'm not sure if it makes up the human mentality.
**http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/has-gay-gene-been-found-female-mice
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHaving disease in ones genetics is extremely bad, and that is what my article was about. Research has been going on, in an attempt to understand this phenomenon. Disease in the genetics is near incurable, making those who have a genetic related disease very likely to die. The research done will likely be the beginning of a cure. This cure will save many lives, many including myself, hope it is developed soon.
ReplyDeleteThis article is something that everyone wonders in their life, why does you hair turn grey? And when do you start getting it. Melanin, is a chemical produced by specialized cells within each hair,is responsible for giving hair color. the type of melanin a person has is determined by their genes, or your traits inherited from your parents, their parents and so on. Unfortunately no matter how stong your genes are against grey hair, everyone gets it. On average, men tend to get it at the age of 30, and women at 35.
ReplyDeleteAccording to D.J. Toblin, The body has no central source for melanin, such as a gland; the chemical is produced for each strand of hair: This is why hairs tend to go gray individually. In this article you learn that genes are something that you inheirit from your parents but there are certain traits that everyone gets no matter who you are.
This article caught my attention because my grandma had cancer and I was curious to find out. Pancratic cancer is a very deadly disease and Only 5 percent of people diaognosed within 5 years have died. Scientists believe that it so deadly because it is slow moving and very aggressive. They also found extreme chromosomal changes of breaking and rearranging of the DNA.
ReplyDeleteJulian Herns . 4 period Biology Ms. Hero
Cellecta, Inc. Announces Launch of the Open Source DECIPHER Project to Provide Free Access to RNAi Genetic Screen Tools
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/10/28/prwebprweb4708604.DTL
This article is very intresting. I didn't really get what they're trying to say but it seems they're trying to decipher some sort of virus. This article relates to what we are studying because it talks about RNA; but not just any RNA it talks about RNAi, which I have no idea what it is, but I would like to findout.
A Spray of DNA to Keep the Robbers Away
ReplyDeleteBy JOHN TAGLIABUE
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/world/europe/19rotterdam.html?_r=1&ref=dna_deoxyribonucleic_acid
This article relates to what we have been doing because it talks about DNA and what it can be used for. When a McDonalds was robbed then the police department had inserted a textbook sized compartment above the door. It sprays human DNA that catches onto the "robber" and stays with him for over two years. It can only be seen by ultraviolet light. It had been invented by a chemist and a police officer who had had enough of robbery. With this tool they can find anyone anywhere. Unfortunately, there are some cons. First, it has gone off multiple times as a false alarm. This alarm is triggered by a fake 10 dollar bill. It calls the cops over too. This really shows how DNA can be used for anything. Who would of thought DNA was a tracker?
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64442/title/Gene_therapy_for_depression
ReplyDeleteThis article explains how they have found a lack of a protein called p11 in genes. It is thought that this protein is the cause for depression in animals. After putting all this information together, they put together studies on mice and noticed that the ones that showed less interest in certain things that mice would usually show interest in, lacked p11. The scientists think that if they inject a virus containing p11, it could be a potential cure for depression. They tested this theory on the mice and the results were quite positive. It worked! The mice that lacked p11 no longer had symptoms of depression.