In this module, students prepare extracts from Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that have been transformed with expression plasmids. Expression from the plasmids is controlled by the inducible GAL1 promoter. Cell extracts are analyzed by protein electrophoresis in other modules. At the end of this module, students will be able to:compare the effects of different carbon sources on transcription of gene controlled by the yeast GAL1 promoter.explain the roles of heat and detergents in the preparation of yeast cell extracts.prepare extracts from transformed yeast strains suitable for analysis by SDS-PAGE gels and western blots.This module is part of a semester-long introductory laboratory course, Investigations in Molecular Cell Biology, at Boston College. 

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of evolution, specifically the evolution of humans. So often our students assume that humans are well adapted to our environments because we are in control of our evolutionary destiny. The goal is to change these types of misconceptions and get our students to link the concepts learned in their DNA, protein synthesis, and genetics units to their understanding of evolution. Students will also discover that humans are still evolving and learn about the traits that are more recent adaptations to our environment. The lesson is designed to take two one-hour class periods to complete. The activities will allow students to draw connections between environmental pressures and selected traits, both through data analysis and modeling. Most activities can be done without any special materials, although the Modeling Natural Selection activity needs either a tri-colored pasta, or tricolored beans, to be completed effectively.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Genetic testing companies hold data for tens of millions of consumers who have paid, online, for genetic information, without consulting a doctor. This information encodes more than just ancestry; it also captures aspects of wellbeing as well as traits or predispositions for which test quality is often poor. These private companies are strictly prohibited in France. But that hasn’t stopped French research teams from working with them, or French people from paying for illegal tests over the Internet. So how can France keep control over its own genetic data? Our solution is e-CohortE. Designed to achieve the same ends sought by genetic testing companies, but legally and more effectively, e-CohortEs would correspond to a specific and legal French research protocol of RIPH. RIPH sponsors currently address only a few questions on a single topic and then terminate a cohort..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"A recent study provides a first glimpse into the evolution of the unusual sex-determination system in brown algae. Sex chromosomes – the tightly wound bundles of DNA responsible, in many species, for determining the sex of an organism – have arisen independently many times across the tree of life. While the molecular and evolutionary dynamics of these genomic regions are well understood in some organisms, very little is known about sex chromosomes in other groups such as brown algae. The brown algae are a large group of mostly marine multicellular organisms, and include many seaweeds. They are distantly related to plants and animals – separated by over a billion years of evolutionary time. The mode of sex determination can be quite different between groups of organisms. In humans for example, males possess both an X and a Y chromosome. Females: two X’s. In most brown algae, sex is determined during part of the life-cycle in which there is only one copy of each chromosome..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Understanding the genetic basis of physical traits has long been of interest to biologists. But uncovering the precise DNA changes that underlie changes in morphology is a difficult task. Now, a team of researchers has done just that in stickleback fish, shedding light on the evolution of morphological diversity found in naturally occurring species. Three-spine sticklebacks in marine environments typically have long dorsal spines that form part of their skeletal armor. Populations found in freshwater, however, often have much shorter spines or, in some cases, have lost these spines all-together. So what is the cause of this drastic morphological difference? To find out, a team of researchers in the US carried out a number of crosses and an in-depth genetic study of both freshwater and marine populations..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"As you sit, sipping your morning cup (or two) of coffee, here’s something to consider: The amount of coffee you drink each day may be encoded in your DNA. Given its popularity and complex chemistry, the health benefits of coffee have long been studied. These include protection against diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even some types of cancer. Despite all of these benefits, however, the one coffee drinkers are most often after is the pick-me-up from caffeine. And that craving for caffeine, it turns out, may be driven by genetics. To further unravel this relationship, a European research team looked closely at the coffee-drinking habits of two study populations in Italy and one in the Netherlands. The researchers recorded how many cups each of the almost-three-thousand people surveyed consumed per day. Using genomic techniques and statistical analyses, they looked for associations between the amount of coffee consumed and the presence of certain genetic variants. One association stuck out..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Early detection of breast cancer can be the deciding factor between successful treatment and death. But mammography – the most common detection method – doesn’t always find tumors before cancer has spread. Now, using only a sample of blood, an international research team has found a way to identify fatal breast cancers up to 12 months before they’re usually diagnosed. The blood test can even find cancer before tumors become visible, creating new possibilities for early treatment. To develop the test, the researchers first identified DNA signatures specific to breast cancer. Cancer cells shed small pieces of DNA into the blood. This genetic material carries unique DNA methylation patterns. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification, meaning it can alter gene function even when the gene’s sequence stays the same. Because methylation patterns change very early in breast cancer development, they offer a promising detection tool..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"EnvironmentalDNA capture is helping researchers do the seemingly impossible: track the numerous plants and animals that call natural waters home. But fishing for so-called eDNA can be precarious work. Each step of the process, from water sampling to DNA detection, is a point of entry for contaminants or of loss for sample material. Now, a new standard could be in the making. Self-preserving and partially biodegradable, this new filtration system eliminates data-compromising steps from eDNA capture while ensuring long-term sample preservation and generating less plastic waste. In standard eDNA collection, a motorized or hand-powered pump is used to force a water sample through a DNA-capturing membrane. The filter housing is then opened and, using sterilized forceps, the membrane is carefully transferred to a vial. Finally, ethanol is added to preserve the captured eDNA while its transported to a lab for sequencing or PCR detection..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.