Unit 6 Reflection

Unit 6 Reflection

In this unit we learned about biotechnology which is the study of livings things and generally focuses on DNA, inheritance, and proteins. There are 4 applications of biotechnology which are industrial environment, agricultural, medical/pharmaceutical and diagnostic research. Another technology is Recombination DNA which is the process of inserting DNA of another organism into another organism and it creates GMO. 3 more technologies of biotechnology is PCR which is a procedure to amplify a specific DNA region another one is Gel electrophoresis , that is when electricity to separate DNA fragments based on size. Last one is Sequencing which is the determining the exact sequencing, of a given DNA strand. The hardest part of this unit was the Recombinant DNA process. This was the hardest in my opinion because it had the most steps and was a little confusing.

We did many fun labs in this unit that helped me understand all the information.
The labs we did:
1. http://alma1blog.blogspot.com/2016/01/recombinant-dna-lab.html
2. http://alma1blog.blogspot.com/2016/01/gel-electrophoresis.html
3. http://alma1blog.blogspot.com/2016/01/candy-electrophoresis-lab.html
4. http://alma1blog.blogspot.com/2016/01/pglo-lab.html
 My favorite lab that we did was the pGLO lab, this lab was my favorite because it wrapped up all the information from the unit and it was the most fun and cool lab. What I want to learn more from this unit is the process of Recombinant DNA. I want to learn more about this becuase it really interesting but also very hard to understand.

For my New Years goals update I have been very organized and had a folder for all of my subjects and papers. I have also used my planner everyday, and it really helps. The next step for this is I want to continue being this organized for the rest of the year, and I know I can do it. For the vegetarian part of my New Years goals I have been vegetarian for 2 weeks, and I am still trying to continue it. I really like being vegetarian and I am going to continue doing this for the rest of the year.

pGLO Lab

pGLO Observations , Data Recording & Analysis

1.

Obtain your team plates.  Observe your set of  “+pGLO” plates under room light and with UV light.  Record numbers of colonies and color of colonies. Fill in the table below. Plate Number of Colonies Color of colonies under room light Color of colonies under   UV light - pGLO LB Carpet          White          White - pGLO LB/amp       0          White          White + pGLO LB/amp      75          White          White + pGLO LB/amp/ara     250          Green          Green

2.	What two new traits do your transformed bacteria have?
	Ability to glow and to be Ampicillin resistance
3.	Estimate how many bacteria were in the 100 uL of bacteria that you spread on each plate. Explain your logic.
	About 1,000, because we added 25 uL ro each plate and one plate got 250 bacteria colonies, since 25 times 10 is 250 you do 100 times 10 and you get 1,000 bactera.
4.	What is the role of arabinose in the plates?
	To give the sugar gene so it can glow
5.	List and briefly explain three current uses for GFP (green fluorescent protein) in research or applied science.
	1. It can be used to study jellyfish, like how they look or genes that you need to see 2. Can be used in fluorescence microscopy to able to see cells or whatever you want to see under the microscope easier 3.And can be used to see different genes in animals
6.	Give an example of another application of genetic engineering.

Another example is mass produce of vaccinations

Candy Electrophoresis Lab

Candy Electrophoresis

1. When we analyzed our end results, some of our gel moved into other spots and mixed with other colors.

2. The color red structure is long and thin and when it moved in the gel it was long and thin. The structure of the green and carminic acid was short and large, and when they moved in the gel it was large and pretty short. The citrus red 2 structure and when it moved in the gel was very short and thin. 

3. Dog food manufacturers put artificial food colors in dog food becuase, then the owner would think it looks more pleasing and would buy the one with the food dye. 

4. Weren't supposed to do

5. The two factors that control the distance the colored dye solutions migrate is the structure and what it is made of

6. The force that helps move the dye through the gel is the negative and positive charge put in.

7. The component of the electrophoresis system that causes the molecule to separate by size is the structure of the dye whether it moves long or short 

8. I would think that 5000 would be the shortest 2000 to be longer then 5000 and 1000 to be longer and 600 to be the longest because the less weight the easier it gets pushed through the gel.

Gel electrophoresis

Gel Electrophoresis Virtual Lab Worksheet                                                               Name_Alma Oscarson____

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/labs/gel/

Make a prediction:

1. How do you think you could figure out the lengths of the strands in the tube of DNA?

To add a lot of chemicals

Go through the simulation:

2. What is the process called in which we measure the DNA microscopically?

Gel electrophoresis

3. What is the “gel”?

Gel is the filter that sorts the DNA strands

4. Write down the step of gel electrophoresis

a. Set up an apparatus

b.  Load the DNA sample into the gel

c. Hook up the electrical current and run the gel

d. Stain the gel analyze the results

5. What does the current do the DNA samples?

It makes the DNA strands move down

6. What kinds of strand move quickly and further down the gel?

The shortest one

7. What kinds of strand move slower and lag behind?

The longer ones

8. What about the strand that are the same length?

They move together in a group

9. What helps us see the DNA strand in the gel?

Staining the sorted groups of DNA

10.  What are the ingredients to make a gel? Make your Gel!

Powder agarose, buffer, a flask, a microwave, gel comb and mold

11.  Load the Gel with the DNA!

12.  After you load the DNA sample into the tray, what is the next step?

Hook up the electrical current and run the gel

13.  How do you know current is running through the gel?

If tiny bubbles come out

14.  After the gel is done, what must you do to it before you can analyze your results?

You need to stain it

15.  How long does this process take?

Half an hour

16.  What type of light do you use to view the gel? Is it safe and what precautions would you might need to use?

You use a UV light, it is dangerous and it can damage your eyes, so you need to wear protective goggles when you use it.

                                                                                                                                           

17.  Take a screenshot of your gel and paste below.

If you do not know how to take a screen shot go to http://www.take-a-screenshot.org

18.  Write your size estimates below:

a. Strand 1____1500_____

b. Strand 2 ___3500_____

c. Strand 3 ____6000_____

                                                                                                

19.  Could you list one reason why we would run a Gel electrophoresis on someone and explain your answer.

To know if your DNA was made right, or has any mutation

Relate and Review

Write at least 5 sentences summarizing the process of electrophoresis and relating to what you’ve learned before.

First what you do in this process is you have a small amount of DNA in a tube. Then you make the gel and set up an apparatus to put the gel that you have just made. Then you add all of you DNA into the gel, to be able to do the next step of this process. 4th step you hook up the electrical current and turn it on, so the current can go through the DNA and make it move down the gel. Last step is you stain the DNA, and then put it under a UV light to be able to see the DNA groups.

Recombinant DNA lab

In this lab we used the antibiotic that our plasmid would provide resistance to. Out of ampicillin, tetracyline, and kanamycin my group and I chose the kanamycin. We randomly chose this antibiotic and not aware of what it would do in the recombinant DNA procedure. We didnt chose the other ones because they were further away from the insulin gene. A restriction enzyme is a bacterial enzyme that is the major tool of recombinant DNA technology. Our group chose the Eco R1 restriction enzyme. We chose this because it was the closets one to the insulin gene. If we chose a enzyme that cut the plasmid in two places the ring, which was the result would not be complete. This process is important in out daily life because we need to make insulin in order to digest the sugars we put in our bodies. This process can also be used to help in many medical procedures.

New Years Goals

1. For this class:
My New Years goal for this class is to become way more organized. I will to have all of my papers in a organized folder and for it to be neat and the same with my notebook. I don't want any loose papers, and I also will to write all of my homework in my planer. By doing all of these things, my papers and work will be more organized any easy to find when I need them.

Step 1. Have a organized folder, with all papers that don't go in my notebook
Step 2. I will have my notebook be organized
Step 3. I will write all of my homework in my planner


2. For outside of school:
My other New Years goal is to become a vegetarian. I will do this because I care a lot for animals and I care for their rights to live and not be eaten. I also will do more work on helping and rescuing hurt and abused animals, that need help.

Step 1. Be vegetarian for 1 week
Step 2. Be vegetarian for 1 month
Step 3.  Go and help out a organization that rescues and helps hurt animals
Step 4. Be vegetarian for the whole year, and the years after