TOPIC 3: GENETICS
Topic 3.5: Genetic engineering
IB topic(s): 2.7 and 3.5
Essential Idea(s): Biologists have developed techniques for artificial manipulation of DNA, cells and organismsUnderstandings:
Lesson 1 (10/4): Introduction to Biotechnology Applications
Activity: Read Kognity Topic 3.5.0-3.5.5
Activity: Read article (linked here).
In class notes, summarize the techniques of Gel Electrophoresis, PCR, Profiling and GMOs.
Lesson 2: (10/15): Biotechnology Applications Continued
Slides
Video: Restriction Enzymes (Animation)
Lesson 3-4 (10/17-10/19): VNTR analysis.
Lab handouts (procedure) linked here.
DNA fingerprinting scenario (DNA dots handout)
Link: TED talk: Personal DNA Machines (miniPCR)
HHMI-Origins of Corn
Hand-out GMO foods
Lesson 5 (10/23): PCR amplification of GMO genes
Article: History of Biotechnology
Article reading guide questions
Slides
Hand-outs (DBQs and review questions)
Topic 3.1: Genes
Essential Idea: Every living organism inherits a blueprint of life from its parents.
Understandings:
Applications:
Skills:
Lesson 1 (11/12): Introduction to Genetics
Slides
Article: Oxytricha
Database of human genome sequences (linked here)
Link: Video on "Would you want to know?"
Link: Video on orphan genetic diseases (galactosemia)
Link: Video: "Find your zebra"
Topic 3.2: Chromosomes and Genomes
Essential Idea: Chromosomes carry genes in a linear sequence that is shared by members of a species.
Understandings:
Lesson 2 (11/15): Chromosomes and Genomes
Slides
Topic 3.3: Meiosis and Genetic Variation
Essential idea:
Alleles segregate during meiosis allowing new combinations to be formed by the fusion of gametes
Understandings:
3.3.NOS Making careful observations- meiosis was discovered by microscope examination of dividing germ-line cells.
Lesson 3-4 (11/26): Meiosis
Slides
Interactive: Karyotyping
Resource: Bozeman Science Video-Meiosis
Lesson 5 (11/28): Linkage (HL)
Slides
Lesson 6 (11/30): Introduction to inheritance
Slides (mutations, new alleles, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, blood type)
Resource link: Genetics topics
Lesson 7 (12/4): Rules of inheritance
Worksheet: Sickle Cell Anemia and Pedigrees
Link: Genetics problems
Slides
Lesson 8 (1/8): Sickle Cell Disease Activity (continued)
Link-article New Research on Sickle Cell Disease
Link: Sickle Cell Genetics and Chi Square Analysis
Topic 3.5: Genetic engineering
IB topic(s): 2.7 and 3.5
Essential Idea(s): Biologists have developed techniques for artificial manipulation of DNA, cells and organismsUnderstandings:
- PCR can be used to amplify small amounts of DNA
- Gel electrophoresis is used to separate proteins or fragments of DNA according to size
- DNA profiling involves comparison of DNA
- Genetic modification is carried out by gene transfer between species
- Clones are groups of genetically identical organisms, derived from a single original parent cell
- Many plant species and some animal species have natural methods of cloning
- Animals can be cloned at the embryo stage by breaking up the embryo into more than one group of cells
- Methods have been developed for cloning adult animals using differentiated cells
- Use of DNA profiling in paternity and forensic investigations
- Gene transfer to bacteria using plasmids makes use of restriction endonucleases and DNA ligase
- Assessment of the potential risks and benefits associated with genetic modification of crops
- Production of cloned embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer
- Design of an experiment to assess one factor affecting the rooting of stem cuttings
- Analysis of examples of DNA profiles
- Analysis of data on risks to monarch butterflies of Bt crops
Lesson 1 (10/4): Introduction to Biotechnology Applications
Activity: Read Kognity Topic 3.5.0-3.5.5
Activity: Read article (linked here).
In class notes, summarize the techniques of Gel Electrophoresis, PCR, Profiling and GMOs.
Lesson 2: (10/15): Biotechnology Applications Continued
Slides
Video: Restriction Enzymes (Animation)
Lesson 3-4 (10/17-10/19): VNTR analysis.
Lab handouts (procedure) linked here.
DNA fingerprinting scenario (DNA dots handout)
Link: TED talk: Personal DNA Machines (miniPCR)
HHMI-Origins of Corn
Hand-out GMO foods
Lesson 5 (10/23): PCR amplification of GMO genes
Article: History of Biotechnology
Article reading guide questions
Slides
Hand-outs (DBQs and review questions)
Topic 3.1: Genes
Essential Idea: Every living organism inherits a blueprint of life from its parents.
Understandings:
- A gene is a heritable factor that consists of a length of DNA and influences a specific characteristic
- A gene occupies a specific position on a chromosome
- The various specific forms of a gene are alleles
- Alleles differ from each other by one or only a few bases
- New alleles are formed by mutation
- The genome is the whole of the genetic information of an organism
- The entire base sequence of human genes was sequenced in the Human Genome Project
Applications:
- The causes of sickle cell anaemia, including a base substitution mutation, a change to the base sequence of mRNA trancribed from it and a change to the sequence of a polypeptide in haemoglobin
- Comparison of the number of genes in humans with other species
Skills:
- Use of a database to determine differences in the base sequence of a gene in two species
Lesson 1 (11/12): Introduction to Genetics
Slides
Article: Oxytricha
Database of human genome sequences (linked here)
Link: Video on "Would you want to know?"
Link: Video on orphan genetic diseases (galactosemia)
Link: Video: "Find your zebra"
Topic 3.2: Chromosomes and Genomes
Essential Idea: Chromosomes carry genes in a linear sequence that is shared by members of a species.
Understandings:
- Prokaryotes have one chromosome consisting of a circular DNA molecule
- Some prokaryotes also have plasmids but eukaryotes do not
- Eukaryote chromosomes are linear DNA molecules associated with histone proteins
- In a eukaryote species there are different chromosomes that carry different genes
- Homologous chromosomes carry the same sequence of genes but not necessarily the same alleles of those genes
- Diploid nuclei have pairs of homologous chromosomes
- Haploid nuclei have one chromosome of each pair
- The number of chromosomes is a characteristic feature of members of a species
- A karyogram shows the chromosomes of an organism in homologous pairs of decreasing length
- Sex is determined by sex chromosomes and autosomes are chromosomes that do not determine sex
- Cairns' technique for measuring the length of DNA molecules by autoradiography
- Comparison of genome size in T2 phage, Escherichia coli, Drosophila melanogaster, Homo sapiens and Paris japonica
- Comparison of diploid chromosome numbers of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Canis familiaris, Oryza sativa and Parascaris equorum
- Use of karyograms to deduce sex and diagnose Down syndrome in humans
- Use of databases to identify the locus of a human gene and its polypeptide product
- Define bioinformatics.
- Outline why computers are necessary for genome analysis.
Lesson 2 (11/15): Chromosomes and Genomes
Slides
Topic 3.3: Meiosis and Genetic Variation
Essential idea:
Alleles segregate during meiosis allowing new combinations to be formed by the fusion of gametes
Understandings:
- One diploid nucleus divides by meiosis to produce four haploid nuclei
- Separation of pairs of homologous chromosomes in the first division of meiosis halves the chromosome number
- DNA is replicated before meiosis so that all chromosomes consist of two sister chromatids
- The early stages of meiosis involve pairing of homologous chromosomes and crossing over followed by condensation
- Orientation of pairs of homologous chromosomes prior to separation is random
- The halving of the chromosome number allows a sexual life cycle with fusion of gametes
- Crossing over and random orientation promotes genetic variation
- Fusion of gametes from different parents promotes genetic variation
- Non-disjunction can cause Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities
- Studies showing age of parents influences chances of non-disjunction
- Description of methods used to obtain cells for karyotype analysis – e.g. chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis and the associated risks
- Drawing diagrams to show the stages of meiosis resulting in the formation of four haploid cells
3.3.NOS Making careful observations- meiosis was discovered by microscope examination of dividing germ-line cells.
- Discuss difficulties in microscopic examination of dividing cells.
- Describe the discovery of meiosis.
Lesson 3-4 (11/26): Meiosis
Slides
Interactive: Karyotyping
Resource: Bozeman Science Video-Meiosis
Lesson 5 (11/28): Linkage (HL)
Slides
Lesson 6 (11/30): Introduction to inheritance
Slides (mutations, new alleles, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, blood type)
Resource link: Genetics topics
Lesson 7 (12/4): Rules of inheritance
Worksheet: Sickle Cell Anemia and Pedigrees
Link: Genetics problems
Slides
Lesson 8 (1/8): Sickle Cell Disease Activity (continued)
Link-article New Research on Sickle Cell Disease
Link: Sickle Cell Genetics and Chi Square Analysis