AP Biology Assignment – Winter Break
Your break assignment is to watch movies! OK, maybe not the movies you were hoping for, these are related to genetics and gene expression. After watching the films, you must submit a post to the blog about which films you chose and what you learned.
The first movie is called Epigenetics, which is about how our lifestyles and environment can change the way our genes are expressed, leading even identical twins to become distinct as they age. The video can be found at the following website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/02.html
I want you to pick two other short films from VCU’s video series, the Secrets of the Sequence. There are fifty different topics that you can choose from. Each of the videos is about 10 minutes long. The videos can be found at :
http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/secretsofthesequence/playlist_frame.asp
Instead of writing a paper, I want you to post a response on the AP Biology blog (http://openemilyapbio.blogspot.com/). For each of the three films you watch, describe the topic that you chose and what you learned, making sure to be specific about the genetic information and techniques described.
Then, pick two other students posts to read and comment on. You will be able to learn more by reading other student’s posts. Your post and your response to two other students’ posts must be completed by January 4 by 10PM.
43 comments:
When watching the Epigenetics video, I learned that the mice that was thin had an added methyl group on its goudi gene causing it to shut down, and therefore not be expressed (unlike the fat mouse). Apparently tags like this exist in every living cell constituting something like a second genome-epigenome. It basically tells the genome when to work and how much. The epigenomes of twins change more over time suggesting that your epigenome can be altered by you.
--Rachel Eiker
I also watched the video "All in the family: Genetics and family Health History." The video expressed that genes are inherited, but it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint the cause of a certain malfunction. But the more family background a doctor has the easier it is for them to make a diagnosis. Everyone should research their family medical history.
While watching "Fighting Fat-New Ways to Win," I learned that 65% of Americans are overweight. Obesity occurs when more calories are consumed than the fat cells can contain; so they expand. The environmental factors are so vast that it is easier to study the genetic proponent of obesity to determine the cause. It is known that 10 to 15 genes are involved in obesity, but more than 250 genes or locations have been indicated in people with obesity. Therefore, genetisists wish to study the genomes of thin people to find out how they are able to stay that way.
Topic Epigenetics:I learned that if identical twins don't live the same life style ,their expressed genes will differ and one twins' genes maybe more expressed than the other.
Six legged Spies:Ilearned that scientists are now starting to use insects to determine wheter or not a certain country or area has weapons hidden or have been using any weapons to destruct a environment. I didn't know that they could sample insects and see what is going on within the insects environment off of it's skin.
Response to Rachel's All in the Family video:I didn't wathc this video but from what Rachel wrote I believe that most genes are inherited and some genes are some times mutated and people come out with different expressed genes than other family members.
the clonig conflict:This video talks about cloning.There are two types of clonong reproductive and therapeutic cloning.In reproductive clonig, the nucleus of the egg is replaced with the nucleus of another person and the baby will become the duplicate of the donor. The president disagrees with cloning. He feels that children should not be grown to custom specifications . In therapeutic cloning, 300 stem cells are in a blastocyst and the extra stem cells are used to make a placenta .The blastocyst stem cells are used to create liver, and brain cells. The president also said he doesn't approve using one person to benefit another .Parkinson's disease includes stiffness, and shivers.Stem cells could be implanted into the brain to take place of the brain cells to help a person with parkinson's function. The doctors would use discarded embroyo cells .
WHen watching the 'A Tale of @ Mice' video, the first thought that cam eto my mind was, "how can 2 genetically identical species look so different in appearance'? One mouse was yellow and obese and had a higher risk for cancer and diabetes. The sister brown mice was slimmer and had a slighter chance of disease.
I learned from this video that while the human genome project found over 25000 different genetic codes, the epigenome is what is really responsible for gene expression. The gene goudi in the yellow mouse is always working, while that of the brown mouse is in a way non existent. Scientists did an experiment on the mother mouse while she was pregant and they came to the basic conclusion that environmental factors (such as in this case contamination usinf BPH) can lead to mutations(?) within offspring.
The first video I watched was Secrets of the Sequence: The Case of the Missing Gene. This video talked about breast cancer and the genes that are responsible. 95% of cancer cases are developed by chance, leaving only 5% to genetic mutation. This means that over 2000000 new cases develop each year. This video mainly talked about the genetic mutations that are responsible for the cancer. The exact number of mutations are currently unknown, though 2 of the main ones were mention during the video. DBC2 (deleted in breast cancer 2(the 2 meaning it is the 2nd gene of its type to be discovered))is an A linked gene that is found to be the sause in 60% of breast cancer cases, This gene is either missing, severely mutated or not expressed. It is also not inherited. Now copare this to 2 other genetically mutated gene, BRCA 1 and 2 (breast cancer). This mutation makes proteins that repair damage within cells, but if it is nonexistent, cancer can come into play. Also unlike DBC2, this gene is inherited through the direct blood line, and men as well as women can have it, passing it along to their offspring.
I also watched the videoFor personal use only: Individualized Drugs.Basically the main information that this video gave was the use of pharmeceutical drugs that are created to treat a certain ailment in one particular person. Pharmacagenomics(?) is the individual genetic inheritance that determines how one particular body may respong to drugs. The video used on example of a drud called repifermin, which is used to repair larg sores on the skin. it was developed from a gene called karetinocide(?)
this video also gave 2 distinguishing definitions to the words drugs and treatments. Drugs and a proactive device that should be used for prevention, whilt a treatment is used after the disease has taken effect.
the video also made a small reference to gene vaccines. A vaccine is created after several hundred pathogens are divided up into groups of 40. these groups are then injected into different mice. If the mouse doesnt get sick, the scientist knows that those 40 pathogens are the ingredients needed to create a vaccine, so they move forward in finding out exactaly which ones do this. The question still remains though, will these individual "gene vaccines" work in humans? and if not, what will?
When I watched the Epigenetic video, I learned that the Agoudi gene in mice controls weight/color of the mice. The Agoudi gene is initially supposed to be "turned off" at birth. But, when mice are exposed to certain toxins and chemicals in the environment, these genes can be turned on. However, the effects of toxins can be counteracted by other, positive environmental factors (nutrient supplements).
I watched Air War - Biological weapons and learned that during the Cold War, soviet scientists developed an air born pathogen, named pneumonic plague, similar to the bubonic plague. Bubonic plague and Pneumonic plague are caused by a bacteria called yersinia pestis. The plague itself wasn't always harmful, but between 2000 - 20000 years ago, it suddenly became lethal. Pneumonic plague mimics pneumonia (being airborne), hence the name. It is not stable in its natural form and cant live long in oxygen and sunlight. The soviet scientists altered genes to be more antibiotic resistant. Currently, there are no known vaccines, but there are scientists working around the world, trying to find one.
I learned from the video, Barflies - Alcoholism, that scientists are studying the genes that control how people hold their liquor, by testing them on flies first. Scientists will add liquor to multiple groups of flies and study their behaviors and genetic structures. They have identified that there's a gene, that can be effected by alcohol, that controls the signal that produces change in messenger chemicals, that affect the body and how it reacts to its environment. Similar pathways have been found in humans, but no specific gene had been found.
I would recommend this video, because its hilarious to hear these scientists to use phrases like "tipsy" and "lightweight".
What I learned from tkeiah's six legged spies comment, is that scientists are sending in different bugs into foreign territory and learning what kind of chemical weapons they have by studying the effect on gene structure.
What I learned from ehagrad's Fighting Fat - New Ways to Win comment is that scientists are studying fat people vs skinny people genes to see their difference and determine what causes the weight difference.
What I learned from Rachel's comment on Genetics and Famil history is that a lot of malfunctions occur, but the answer to why they do is often difficult to find out. I think it's interesting that a simple research of medical history can help with a diagnosis of a treatable disese and it is important that we do research our family history, as Rachel stated, because a big percentage of the time, I'm sure these diseases can be prevented.
In response to 'The Passions' post abour pneumonic plague, I find it very interesting that people would research such a thing. It's interesting that this plague is similar to that of the bubonic plague, which killed many people in its time. My questions are, why was the bubonic plague such a deadly issues in its time, but the pneumonic plague isn't, since you mentioned that they are similar and air borne.
I wouls definately like to know much more about this topic. It is very interesting.
When watching the Epigenetics video, I learned that the epigenome tells the cell what to be and it silences the unneeded cells to make them different from one another.I learned the epigenmone can be changed during puberty and pregnancy. Epigenomes can change with what is ate, drunk, or inhaled. I also learned as chemical tag that contro our genes change, cells can become abnormal causing cancer. i learned that Epigenetic therapy changes the instructions of the cell rather than killing the cell.
Skin Deep: Race and Disease_Some doctors believe that race is a big factor in determining what diseases can be obtained. Others believe that geography is a big factor. they believe that where your ancestors lived determines what diseases can be obtained. Some medications tend to work better for people of an ethnic background then for others.
In response to Six Legged Spies, insects are used as indicators as to what is going on in the environment. In the military, insects are sampled to indicate whether there is deadly germs in a particular area. A spectromater is used to determine what microscopic organisms are on the skin of the insect.
In response to Radiah's missing gene post, i believe that there are various factors and combinations of symptoms that contribute to the development of cancer.
In response to the passions post about barflies, i find it hard to believe that fruit flies can be used to determine how much liquor humans can hold. i know i didn't watch the video but fruit flies are so small and humans are larger than fruit flies and our bodies are more complex i just dont understand how our gene structured are similar. but whatever
In Response to Ryan's drunken fly video, so you're saying that scientists intoxicate flies to see the link between their reactions to alcohol and human's reactions to alcohol. The lesser the reaction the more likely an alcoholic??
In response to Trenea's comment about Skin Deep, I think that is very interesting. It makes sense that a person's immune system would adapt to the diseases in a certain geographical location. But as far as skin color being the reason, I think it plays a less important role. I mean if me and trenea went to mexico we both would have a bad reaction to the E. coli there. Just like a Mexican visiting America vs. a Mexican American would have different reactions to the bacteria in America.
Epigenetics
The video about epigenetics explained a recent scientific phenomenon in which environmental interactions can lead to the suppression of certain genes, both helpful and dangerous. Certain genetic sequences can be covered up, based on our diet, pollution, etc. this means that we must be more heath conscious in order to keep these genes from deactivating.
The biologists studying epigenetics first discovered the phenomena when studying seemingly genetically identical mice. This study was later translated to human twins, showing the same results. Identical twins, at birth, have completely identical genes, but as they grow, and are exposed to different habits, they slowly grow apart in their expressed genes. This supports the hypothesis that twins are not always more likely to get the same genetic diseases. For certain diseases involving epigenetics, doctors would prefer to use epigenetic therapy, rather than chemotherapy, because it is safer, and may help solve the problem. This makes it much easier to cure diseases, but reminds us all that we need to be more watchful on the way we eat, exercise, and live, to maintain good epigenetic health.
VCU Secrets of the Sequence
Bioethics
This video talked about cloning, eugenics, and test tube fertilization, and the moral dilemmas that surround them. It discussed the benefits, and dangers of stem cell research, and the opinions coming from both sides. Personally, I think that it would be very helpful to use stem cells from unwanted children to heal the sick or paralyzed, and with new technology that can tell if babies will develop terminal diseases in utero, it would be much better to spare the families, friends, and the child the pain and suffering that would eventually result in death for the child. However, it is important, as one of the biologists said, to be mindful of the pathways this may lead us; we may begin to use this to alter our children into having certain traits at birth, or removing unwanted traits.
Naming The Dead
This video was about identifying, using DNA, bodies of long dead family members. First, it talked about victims of the terrorist attack on the WTC, and how the bodies were often unidentifiable using other methods. then, they went to Bosnia, where it was much harder to identify bodies, because they were not able to look up dental records for victims. They followed a family whose father was presumed dead, as they tested the family’s DNA to find a match. They would excavate old bones, find the genetic material in them, and test them using three different types of DNA: Nuclear, Mitochondrial, and Sex cells. The process has made it a lot easier for scientists to determine the lineage of unidentified John Does, and provide closure to families with lost loved ones.
Responses
Ryan – barflies
Wow. I want to watch that. I had no idea there was a gene for how you can hold liquor. I wonder why they haven’t fond a link in humans though.
Rachel – fighting fat
I know obesity is genetic, but exactly how much of it is? Can a healthy-eating person who exercises regularly be obese if they have the wrong genes? What about the other way around. I know plenty of thin people that don’t exercise at all, and have a terrible diet, but still manage to stay thin. Does that have something to do with metabolism?
The movie called, Epigenetics, addressed human beings ability to alter their own genes and the genes of their future offspring due to the lives they lead. Smoking and drinking can lead twins to becoming genetically different because of their epigenome. An epigenome is what tells our cells when to work, how to work, and what kind of cells to be. Our epigenome can silence genes by attaching to the genes directly. Studies done on forty pairs of twins suggested that with age epigenetic differences greaten, especially when twins have differing lifestyles. Currently there is epigenetic therapy, which was done on cancer patients in the movie. The idea of this therapy is to change the instructions of cells by reactivating the genes. Over half of the patients in the trial went into remission once the therapy was performed.
The film, A Gene Called ACE: Blood pressure, explained how Agiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) works in our body and how it effects our metabolism. Our metabolism determines many things such as athleticism. Genes determine metabolism. Everyone has two ACE genes which are inherited from their parents. There are three possible combinations of ACE genes, two of which are DD and II. Typically people with DD have higher blood pressure, than those with the combination II. The video showed that people with DD have higher levels of ACE circulating their bodies and this is what leads to high blood pressure, which can then trigger Kennedy failure, heart attacks, and strokes. People with thicker heart muscles are also prone to the attacks listed above. Studies done on military recruits who live regulated lives showed that levels of ACE control heart growth. Higher levels of ACE build larger muscles, lower levels develop better stamina, and furthermore that ACE genes effect our entire metabolic activities.
The film, Are the Voices in the Genes-Schizophrenia, provided information about the chronic brain disease and the effects it has on people. It is not a multiple personality disorder nor a bipolar disease, but a brain disease that causes hallucinations, disturbances in thinking, and delusions. Most people first have symptoms between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. Studies have shown that schizophrenic patients have similar mutations on chromosomes six and eight. This mutation is expressed in all areas of the brain. Psychiatrists are hoping to discover more about Schizophrenia and link the mutations on chromosome six and eight.
Response to Rachel's "Fighting fat-News Ways To Win"
I did not realize that 65% of Americans are overweight. I think that as a country we need to stive to be healthier, whether skinny or obese. I think that weight does not matter as long as one is in good health. I also did not know that 10 to 15 genes are involved in obesity. This film seems like it would be interesting to watch to learn more about obesity and its links to genes.
Response to Trenea's "Skin Deep:Race & Disease"
After reading Trenea's response, I had to respond because just the other day my grandmother and I were talking about similar matters. I think it is true that certain races are prone to getting certain diseases, while other races are less likely. Also, geography seems to be a major factor in determining what diseases people are being diagnosed with. In addition to that, some countries have better medications and ways to treat people. The United States, for example, can treat diseases that many countries around the world don't have access to.
Sigourney Bailey
The epigenetic piece was very interesting to me. I learned that epigone makes cells that have the same genetics different from each other. Also it showed that the things that are done in one generation can carry on and effect the generations after. All the information and experiments were very interesting but there was one event that really shocked me! When they compared the epigenetic of a pair of six year old twins together they where very similar as to be expected when comparing twins, but the scientist conducted the same experiment with a pair of sixty-seven year old twins. There epigenetic comparisons where almost nothing alike. This proves that the way you live your life and where you live it can not only affect your physical appearance or your health but it can affect the very building blocks of who you are.
The Film “Rhythm and Snooze-Ceridian Genes
This film title caught my eye because I will confess “I LOVE TO SLEEP”. And have for as long as I can remember. I could always sleep often and for very long periods of time, I recently have wondered why do I do this and this film answered all my questions. In this film they talked about suprachiamatic nucleuses which act as clocks for your body, and circadian rhythms or the bodies sleep wake cycle. A surprising fact I learned was that this sleep wake cycle is mostly controlled by light. A new term that was introduced to describe some peoples sleeping habits was Owls and Larks. An Owl is someone who wakes up very late and sleeps very late. A Lark is a person who wakes up very early and goes to sleep very early. Also a scientist in the film said that some sleeping disorders are genetic but some can just appear. It was interesting to learn that there is nothing wrong with me, some people just have different sleep patterns then others.
I watched the audio slide show titled "A Tale of Two Mice" because the other video was being stubborn. In the slideshow two mice with identical DNA were observed. One mouse had yellow fur and was obese, the other had brown fur and was normal sized. Through experimentations scientists observed that there are genes that require instructions to know how to behave and the epigenome "tells" the genes how to be expressed. Epigenetics has markers such as methyl groups that turn off genes. The yellow, obese mouse did not have methylation of the genes, while the brown mouse did. Scientists discovered that methylation of these genes can be altered my exposure to environmental substances during fetal growth. This gave them the link between gene behavior and environment.
The Film “On Down - Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is something I have always been interested in. If they can do the same things as everyone else what makes them so different then people without Down syndrome? To answer this question scientist used neurons, the cells that are the building blocks of your brain to show how Down syndrome affects the brain. The scientist first thought that the difference was the rate at which the cells grew. Later they saw that the cells grew at the same rate. So they then allowed the cells to continue to become neurons. During this process they noticed that the cells with Down syndrome where making far less neurons. Also the Down syndrome neurons where not making as many connections with other neurons as those without Down syndrome. This showed that Down Syndrome does not only effect chromosome 21 but can also affect other chromosomes. This means that there is a verity of things that can lead to someone having Down syndrome not just having an extra copy of chromosome 21.
The video "Bioethics" discussed the debate concerning the morality of biotechnology. There are no regulations on invitro fertalization technologies and there is uncertainty about the grounds at which options should be limited and who should make said decisions. The direction of reproductive technology can go in many different ways. It can be used to create new tissue to help recover spinal cord injuries and create babies with no genetic mutations. However, many fear that these availabilities could lead to unethical behavior such as "hand picking" characteristics that parents feel with make them a "perfect" child and growing humans only to provide limbs and other needed tissue. This continues to become a controversial issue between people with different ethical beliefs.
The Passions on Barflies – Alcoholism
It was kind of funny to hear that scientists would intoxicate flies. But it was to obtain very beneficial information. For a long time people have known that drinking alcohol can affect you brain cells but I never would have thought it could affect your genes. It’s scary to think that something people do everyday and don’t really think of it as being a big deal could destroy your body in so many ways. It can destroy the things that make you who you are the things that make you different from everyone else.
Trenea on Skin Deep: Race and Disease
The statement that ancestry can have an affect on what diseases you can obtain was interesting because in the video on epigenetic they did say the things that are done in one generation can affect many generations after it. Also to know that geography is a big factor in what diseases people get makes since because America I’m has more cases of obesity and Type Two diabetes then say China. The part that kind of puzzled me was “Why do some medications work better for people of different ethnic backgrounds?”.
"Malaria" discusses how the sequence of the malaria genome is being discovered and completed. Malaria is a disease that is transmitted by mosquitos caused by a parasite. Malaria can only be cured if detected early but often leads to kidney failure and death. Research scientists are studying what causes the parasite to live so that they will therefor be able to find a way to kill or prevent them from living and ultimately find a cure for this pandemic disease.
Response to sigourney's response to tranea
You raised an interesting question: "Why do some medications work better for people of different ethnic backgrounds?” Maybe this could be because of the reaction of different genes to certain medications. Sometimes people have different reactions to certain medications depending on their own biological chemistry.
While watching the Epigentics video, i learned that in living beings there are things in our cells called "tags", that attach to the cell & make the gene expressed. In an experiment with mice,mice with identical genetic make up were given a different diet & other environmental factors, which caused the mice to change(1 fat & 1 skinny).Also the offspring of the mice showed that they had the same traits of the parents. Also, found in research showed that identical twins genetic make up differentiates as they grow older; giving evidence that lifestyle can change your genetic make up or epigenome. Genome is inhereited and your epigenome can be altered.
--Charity Howell
Response to Rachel
Is it possible that thin people are able to produce generations of thin people simply because they continue to live healthy lifestyles?
Skin Deep? Race & Disease
In this film a psychiatrist called herself "a racially profiling doctor", many people found this offensive. Her reasoning for calling herself this was because many different mediactions & diseases have different affects on people of a diffeernt race.Such things as heart failure happen more often in blacks, than other other race. Also, in the video it brought up the fact that there are so many diffeent racial combinations, it makes it hard to classify what person needs what treatment.The doctor made a good way of understnding how race & disesase go hand in hand by saying that race is a huge extended family & certain variant genes occur within the same race,while they aren't the same as in others.
In The Blood- Leukemia
Doctors used to diagnose Leukemia by only looking at a person's blood samples, but today in modern medicine doctors are trying to know the molecular genetic basis of the patient's cancer, rather than giving everyone the same treatment & wishing for the best. By knowing the genetic make up, the doctor can use a treatment that will better treat/ cause the cancer to go into remission.Stem Cells were also brought up as a very good treatment method for the many different types of Leukemia. By using stem cells a patient wouldn't have to find a donor of bone marrow,which make take years to find, the doctor can easily take a skin biopsy & customize the patient it's own embryonic cell line, then in a dish they would differentiate embryonic stem cells to blood stem cells. This is basically a bone marrow transplant with your own genetice material. This method has very affective and has caused the rising deaths due to leukemia to come to a slight hault.
In Response to Rachel-Fighting Fat-New Ways to Win
This is very interesting to me how the genes in our bodies can cause us to become obese. This makes me think it is our destiny, if our genes already have it mapped out.
In Response to The Passions-Air War-Biological Weapons
This makes me feel very unsafe that countries use one-sided fighting by just trying to kill off people with no defense or knowing with disease. Although, it was a breakthrough in science that they were able to develop this virus from thousands of years ago, it's still very different due to the fact that then it just eveolved, while now they just decided to create it. Kind of scary to feel like another human being can hold your life in their hands.
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