A fun module for students to introduce them to synthetic biology. Includes a presentation and an activity in which students pair up to complete. Recommended to do this activity in-class offline. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to complete.
In this activity, students will create a segment of DNA out of wire and play-doh. Using a simple computer code, they will make their DNA talk by connecting a Makey Makey circuit board and hooking it up to a computer.
This activity uses DNA sequences, protein sequence, and chromosome-density maps to re-trace the ancestry of humans and some of their closest relatives.
How is it that all cells in our body have the same genes, yet cells in different tissues express different genes? A basic notion in biology that most high school students fail to conceptualize is the fact that all cells in the animal or human body contain the same DNA, yet different cells in different tissues express, on the one hand, a set of common genes, and on the other, express another set of genes that vary depending on the type of tissue and the stage of development. In this video lesson, the student will be reminded that genes in a cell/tissue are expressed when certain conditions in the nucleus are met. Interestingly, the system utilized by the cell to ensure tissue specific gene expression is rather simple. Among other factors - all discussed fully in the lesson - the cells make use of a tiny scaffold known as the “Nuclear Matrix or Nucleo-Skeleton”. This video lesson spans 20 minutes and provides 5 exercises for students to work out in groups and in consultation with their classroom teacher. The entire duration of the video demonstration and exercises should take about 45-50 minutes, or equivalent to one classroom session. There are no supplies needed for students’ participation in the provided exercises. They will only need their notebooks and pens. However, the teacher may wish to emulate the demonstrations used in the video lesson by the presenter and in this case simple material can be used as those used in the video. These include play dough, pencils, rubber bands (to construct the nuclear matrix model), a tennis ball and 2-3 Meters worth of shoe laces. The students should be aware of basic information about DNA folding in the nucleus, DNA replication, gene transcription, translation and protein synthesis.
This graphic from Biology by Kenneth R. Miller and Joseph Levine suggests how some recent hominid fossil finds might fit into the overall picture of hominid evolution. As more fossils are found and further analysis advances our understanding of human evolution, this picture will almost certainly be revised.
Background: Reproducible research is a foundational component for scientific advancements, yet little is known regarding the extent of reproducible research within the dermatology literature. Objective: This study aimed to determine the quality and transparency of the literature in dermatology journals by evaluating for the presence of 8 indicators of reproducible and transparent research practices. Methods: By implementing a cross-sectional study design, we conducted an advanced search of publications in dermatology journals from the National Library of Medicine catalog. Our search included articles published between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018. After generating a list of eligible dermatology publications, we then searched for full text PDF versions by using Open Access Button, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Publications were analyzed for 8 indicators of reproducibility and transparency—availability of materials, data, analysis scripts, protocol, preregistration, conflict of interest statement, funding statement, and open access—using a pilot-tested Google Form. Results: After exclusion, 127 studies with empirical data were included in our analysis. Certain indicators were more poorly reported than others. We found that most publications (113, 88.9%) did not provide unmodified, raw data used to make computations, 124 (97.6%) failed to make the complete protocol available, and 126 (99.2%) did not include step-by-step analysis scripts. Conclusions: Our sample of studies published in dermatology journals do not appear to include sufficient detail to be accurately and successfully reproduced in their entirety. Solutions to increase the quality, reproducibility, and transparency of dermatology research are warranted. More robust reporting of key methodological details, open data sharing, and stricter standards journals impose on authors regarding disclosure of study materials might help to better the climate of reproducible research in dermatology. [JMIR Dermatol 2019;2(1):e16078]
it would be ideal if students already have learned that DNA is the genetic material, and that DNA is made up of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs. It also would help if students already know that each human has two versions of every piece of DNA in their genome, one from mom and one from dad. The lesson will take about one class period, with roughly 30 minutes of footage and 30 minutes of activities.
Galaxy is an open-source web tool (portal) that organizes bioinformatics work-flows. It provides functionality to:Record workflows (history)Share common sequence data (shared data libraries)Import and use (private) sequence dataShare results with others (shared histories)Integrate new tools into the interfaceRun long analyses using batch queues
Western blots are widely used in molecular cell biology to identify proteins-of-interest in complex protein samples. In western blots, antibodies and detection reagents are used to stain membranes containing replicas of polyacrylamide gels. This module introduces students to the theory and practice of western blots. In this module, students:learn about the biological origins and structural properties of antibodies that underly their specificity.learn how epitope tags allow the detection of proteins-of-interest on western blots.prepare membrane replicas containing protein extracts that have been resolved by SDS-PAGE.analyze protein expression in yeast that have been transformed with expression plasmids.This module is part of an introductory laboratory course, Investigations in Molecular Cell Biology, at Boston College.
In this activity students examine karyotypes from five individuals to try to identify which chromosomes determine gender in humans. This activity is also a good illustration of meiotic non-disjunction.
In a class discussion format, the teacher presents background information about basic human genetics. The number of chromosomes in both body cells and egg and sperm cells is covered, as well as the concept of dominant and recessive alleles. Students determine whether or not they possess the dominant allele for the tongue-rolling gene as an example.
Students use DNA profiling to determine who robbed a bank. After they learn how the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is used to match crime scene DNA with tissue sample DNA, students use CODIS principles and sample DNA fragments to determine which of three suspects matches evidence obtain at a crime location. They communicate their results as if they were biomedical engineers reporting to a police crime scene investigation.
Download the complete instructions for a high school level inheritance inquiry, using Wisconsin Fast Plants. In this investigation, students gather their own evidence to explain how inheritance works. As they observe three generations of Wisconsin Fast Plants, students unravel a paternity mystery: What was the father’s phenotype? Was it the same as the mother’s phenotype or the offspring’s phenotype? Or is it something entirely different? As first, then second generations of plants grow, students make observations that serve as evidence to support or refute their explanations about the inheritance of two easily observable traits that demonstrate Mendelian patterns of simple dominant / recessive genotypes. Complete kits are available from Carolina Biological for this investigation, or everything to grow Fast Plants can be built or obtained locally, using the instructions available on the Fast Plants website.
In this investigation, students will gather their own evidence to explain how inheritance works. As they observe three generations of Wisconsin Fast Plants, students will unravel a mystery of paternity: What is the father’s phenotype? Is it the same as the mother’s phenotype or the offspring’s phenotype? Or is it something entirely different? As the generations of plants grow, students will make observations that will serve as evidence to support or refute their explanations about the inheritance of a trait.
Learn how to use Punnett squares to calculate probabilities of different phenotypes. Includes worked examples of dihybrid crosses. independent assortment, incomplete dominance, codominance, and multiple alleles.
Writing a Wikipedia article about a genetic disease is a good culminating activity for a genetics course or module, as it requires synthesizing and interpreting a wide range of genetic information. This assignment also includes a potential service component, which is normally very difficult in genetics.
This module provides an introduction to plasmids, small circular DNA molecules that replicate independently of the host cell DNA. The module focuses on yeast overexpression plasmids, which have replication origins and selectable markers that allow them to be propagated in either bacteria or yeast. The plasmids also contain promoters that control expression of a cloned gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this module, students will:understand the various features that have been engineered into plasmids for experimental purposeslearn how the physical properties of plasmids are used in their purificationisolate plasmids from E. coli estimate plasmid concentration and purity using ultraviolet spectroscopyThis module is part of a semester-long introductory labortory course, Investigations in Molecular Cell Biology, at Boston College
In this module, students use a simple method to transform the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with yeast expression plasmids containing the GAL1 promoter. At the end of this module, students will be able to:explain the processes of transformation and complmentation at the molecular leveldesign a selection strategy to isolate transformed strains explain how plasmid-encoded genes can complement gene deficienciesuse replica plating on selective media to identify transformed strains expressing plasmid-encoded genesThis module is part of a semester-long introductory laboratory course, Investigations in Molecular Cell Biology, at Boston College.
In this module, students design and implement a strategy to identify yeast deletion strains by colony PCR. At the end of this module, students should be able to:design oligonucleotide primers to amplify specific DNA sequences with PCRexplain how changes to the annealing and extension times affect the production of PCR productsuse PCR to distinguish mutant yeast strains with different genotypesThis module is part of a semester-long introductory lab course, Investigations in Molecular Cell BIology, at Boston College.
This module introduces students to sterile culture techniques using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Studentslearn the relationships between species and strainsisolate individual colonies from liquid cultures on streak platesprepare serial dilutions of liquid cultures for spot plates, which are used to estimate the concentration of viable cells in the culturesestimate cell densities in liquid cultures using the spectrophotometerThis module is part of a semester-long introductory lab course, Investigations in Molecular Cell Biology, at Boston College.