Bioluminescence

Natalie Buttaccio Biol 251 Oliphant January 20, 2017 1. According to Bonnie Bassler in the video TedTalk, the human body is considered 90% prokaryotic because there are ten times more bacterial cells than human cells on a human being. Humans have approximately 30,000 genes, but you actually have ten times more bacterial genes. Bassler considers humans about 90% bacterial. These bacterial cells literally almost do everything, from digesting our food, making our vitamins, keeping us healthy, etc.…

The wide field of biochemistry includes exploration in the use of gene therapy for the treatment of cancers such as lung cancer. Though gene therapy is still in early stages of development, many researchers have concluded that gene therapy in therapeutic cancer treatment seems to be very effective and efficient. Gene therapy is the replacement of defective genes to enable the production of normally functioning genes. This replacement of genes is an adolescent and risky procedure and is often…

The Transfer of the pGLO plasmid into Escherichia coli from the DNA of Aequorea victoria Introduction The goal of this lab is to be able to take the gene responsible for allowing organisms to glow in the dark, called Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), located in the pGLO plasmid, and move it from the DNA of the Aequorea victoria to bacteria, Escherichia coli. The pGLO plasmid is found naturally in some organisms such as the A. victoria,…

isolate specific genes, which they can insert those genes into organisms, especially food crops, to produce specific traits. (Lallanilla, 2013) a.Geneticists have created genetically engineered pigs that glow in the dark by inserting a gene for bioluminescence from a jellyfish. b.Tomatoes have been developed that resist frost and freezing temperatures with antifreeze genes from the cold-water fish, the winter flounder. c.New genes are introduced for a variety of reasons, whether it 's to…

Experimental Design Aim 1: Determine the amino acid sensing specificity of folliculin. Since folliculin’s novel amino acid sensing function discovery, I plan to further understand whether FLCN specifically senses a certain amino acid and if this level of detection is enough to elicit an mTORC1 response. 1.1. Determine if folliculin’s novel molecular function in amino acid sensing is triggered by glutamine. mTORC1 activation by amino acids requires FLCN where its lysosomal residence during…

From Theory to Practice The following case studies were conducted at an interactive science museum, the Discovery Center of Springfield, located in southwestern Missouri. The Discovery Center is a hands-on museum that regularly serves around 100,000 visitors annually in addition to offering distance learning opportunities and outreach to the surrounding communities. The facility represents one of the only educational spaces of its kind serving the region. The museum comprises around 60,000…

Numerous species have evolved to exhibit some form of camouflage, which is an adaptation that allows species to blend in with certain aspects of their environment. Camouflage has become a common and taxonomically widespread adaptation that numerous prey species have adopted to reduce the likelihood of being either detected or recognized by predators. The theory of Natural Selection as put forth by Charles Darwin suggests that "those individuals who possess superior physical, behavioral, or other…

Mathew Sarsfield Miss Cooper Senior Project 4 May 2014 The Morality of Genetic Engineering In 2002, a lesbian couple tried to conceive a child who was deaf. Being deaf themselves, they wanted to have a child that shared their disability because they did not view deafness as a disability, but rather as a gift. They had previously succeeded in having a deaf daughter, and were trying to have a son this time. Since they could not have a child themselves, they looked toward a friend who had many…