AP Biology Pre-Discussion Questions: Information 3- Biotechnology PDQ
Instructions:
Topic Presentation:
Textbook Reading:
Principles of Life:
OpenStax Biology:
Biozone Pages:
Supplementary Resources:
“Crash Course: Biology” Videos:
Videos By Paul Andersen:
Part 1: Genetic Engineering- Tools & Techniques
Questions to answer:
Things you should make sure you understand:
Part 2: Genetic Engineering- Applications
Questions to answer:
Things you should make sure you understand:
Part 3: Ethical Considerations
Questions to answer:
Instructions:
- Open the presentation.
- Interact with it. Take notes as you wish.
- Self-Quiz 1: Answer the “Questions to answer”.
- Self- Quiz 2: Make sure you understand the “Things you should make sure you understand”.
- Feel free to view the “Supplementary Resources”.
- Write down any other questions that you have about the material.
Topic Presentation:
click here
Note: This is a three-part discussion
Textbook Reading:
Principles of Life:
- Part 1-3 (Chapter 13- all sections: organization differs from presentations)
OpenStax Biology:
- Part 1-3: Chapter 17- Section 17.1- 17.3
Biozone Pages:
Volume 1:
- Part 1: pp. 122-125, 130-138
- Part 2: pp. 126-129
- Part 3: pp. 139-141
Supplementary Resources:
“Crash Course: Biology” Videos:
Videos By Paul Andersen:
“Molecular Biology”
Part 1: Genetic Engineering- Tools & Techniques
Questions to answer:
Restriction Enzymes:
- How do restriction enzymes work?
- Explain the significance of “sticky ends” and why they were given that name.
Vectors:
- Diagram a typical designed plasmid vector. Label and define each of the following parts:
- The ori
- The multiple cloning sequence (you might need the internet)
- Selectable markers--give two examples of genes used as selectable markers.
Gel Electrophoresis:
- How does gel electrophoresis work? What properties of the DNA does it utilize?
- Where will the smallest fragments of DNA be found on a gel after it runs? Where will the largest fragments be found? How is the size of a particular fragment determined?’
- Why is it necessary to utilize probes for labeling particular DNA sequences? How is this process accomplished?
The Polymerase Chain Reaction:
- Explain the purpose of the Polymerase Chain Reaction. Why is it useful?
- Explain the function of the following in PCR
- Taq polymerase
- primers.
- thermal cycler.
- Explain what happens during each phase of a PCR cycle, and the temperature at which each phase occurs:
- Denaturation.
- Annealing.
- Elongation.
DNA Libraries:
- What is the purpose of a DNA “library”? How can specific genes be retrieved from a DNA library?
DNA Sequencing:
- What are dideoxynucleotides? Why are they used in DNA sequencing?
- Explain how the Sanger sequencing method works.
- How has sequencing technology advanced since the development of the process by Fred Sanger? Give three examples.
Microarrays:
- What is the purpose of a microarray? Give an example of a real-world application of microarray analysis (you probably need to use the internet).
Things you should make sure you understand:
(feel free to ask questions about them in class)
- How restriction enzymes evolved.
- Why each of the tools discussed in this section are useful for research and genetic engineering.
Part 2: Genetic Engineering- Applications
Questions to answer:
Genetic Engineering:
- How does bacterial transformation work? What do bacteria use it for? What do genetic engineers use it for?
- What is cDNA? How is it made? Why is it necessary?
- Diagram the process of genetic engineering a bacterium.
- Begin with a plasmid and the gene of interest.
- Show how the gene is inserted in the plasmid.
- Show how the plasmid is incorporated into a bacterial cell.
- Show how the cell copies the plasmid.
- Show how the cell expresses the gene of interest.
- Explain how reporter genes (selectable markers) can be used to separate bacteria who have taken up the transformed plasmid from those who have taken up the non-transformed plasmid.
Genetic Testing:
- Explain the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (“SNPs”) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (“RFLPs”)? How are they caused and why do they matter?
- Pick one real-world application that uses PCR and gel electrophoresis and specifically explain how each process is used in that application
Cloning:
- Compare and contrast therapeutic cloning with reproductive cloning.
Things you should make sure you understand:
(feel free to ask questions about them in class)
- The use of restriction enzymes in genetic engineering.
- The use of vectors in genetic engineering.
- Why bacterial cells are comparatively easy to genetically engineer.
- How ligase is used in genetic engineering.
- How reporter genes like LacZ and Green Flourescent Protein are used in genetic engineering.
- How genetically engineering eukaryotes differs from genetically engineering prokaryotes.
- How genetically engineering complex (multi-gene) traits differs from genetically engineering simple (single-gene) traits.
- How gel electrophoresis is used in genetic engineering.
- How PCR is used in genetic engineering.
- The ethical considerations involved in genetic testing.
- The ethical considerations involved in reproductive and therapeutic cloning.
- How DNA sequencing is used in genetic engineering.
Part 3: Ethical Considerations
Questions to answer:
- Give three examples of things that the biotechnology revolution has allowed us to do that couldn’t have been done at a prior point in human history.
You will most likely need to do a bit of research to answer these questions:
- From a legal standpoint, how much information do you have a right to know about the genetically engineered nature of the food you eat and the products that you consume?
- From a legal standpoint, how much information do other people and entities have the right to know about your genome?
- From a legal standpoint, what sorts of genetically engineered technologies are individuals allowed to copyright?
- From a legal standpoint, what constraints are placed on the scientific establishment with regard to altering the genetic material of organisms?
This one is for your own consideration:
- Consider the answers to the last five questions. From a personal moral/ethical standpoint, how do you feel about those answers?