Gene Youngblood

identifying the unknown gene. The cross was set up between parents with similar phenotypes. Two results were expected from this crosses, one of the crosses would show the complementation of two mutant alleles and the other cross would show two allelic mutations. If the two mutant allele complement each other all the progeny will be wild type, and thus are likely mutations in two different genes. However, if the progeny displays hot cheeto the two mutations are allelic and in the same gene. We…

Gene editing is the alteration of genes in germ cells which become either sperm or eggs and are inheritable to future generations. Genetic editing has been used in agriculture to enhance crops, it is now being explored in humans too. This technology could potentially eradicate genetic diseases and prevent future generations from passing it on. Gene editing is done through the CRISPR-Cas9 system, where the embryo is edited to the desired outcome. It identifies and attacks the viral DNA and then…

all caused by defective genes. Genetic disorders result from the accumulation of the harmful substance in the body or from an inability of the body to produce or utilize essential substances that influence development and function. Most of the time genetic disorders are passed down through family, however, sometimes they can also be due to gene mutation caused by a combination of both genetic changes and other environmental factors. In order to understand what cause the gene mutation one must…

protein whose exact function is unknown. What is understood about it though is how important of a part it serves for the nerve cells in the brain (HTT, 2016). When the gene HTT that codes for this protein becomes mutated (mHTT), it causes what is known as Huntington disease (HD). This is an autosomal dominant disorder meaning only a single gene needs to be altered in order to cause this disease (Huntington disease, 2016). If there is one parent affected, each child has a 50/50 chance of…

Genetic Engineering is the modification of an organism 's genetic composition by artificial means, often involving the transfer of specific traits, or genes, from one organism into a plant or animal of an entirely different species. With this new, rapidly growing, technology we are now able to do things that we once thought were impossible. In Ethics and the New Genetics, the Dalai Lama addresses problems that we need to consider as we continue to explore this microscopic world that we have…

quickly. Somatic cells are all the cells in the body except sperm and egg cells (National Institute of Health, n.d.). While somatic cell modification is not seen as a serious ethical dilemma, germ line modifications are. Germ line cells are cells whose genes can be passed on to offspring (NIH,…

The allergy concern sparks because there is gene escape that occurs when GMOs are engineered. Gene escape occurs when a seed is engineered, and an unwanted gene is transferred to the product seed from the genetical composition of the engineering seed. The significance of this is that now there is a new gene/characteristic in the food that wasn 't precent before. This gene that is now newly present in the food can potentially cause food allergies that were…

evidence showing that it is harmful. Gmos provide a great benefit of food supply across the world, and further innovations can lead to disease resistance, and other future modernizations. The Innovations and Enhancements of Biotechnology Relating to Gene…

Personalized medicine, for those who do not know, is using a person’s genome sequence (sometimes their exome, or a single gene) to make decisions regarding their health and lifestyle. Moalem shares with us a story about a man who was told to eat more fruit by his doctor to improve his lifestyle, and he almost died. He shares with us that “Jeff” had a rare genetic condition…

well as cognitive and psychiatric disturbances (Warby et al., 2014). Sadly, HD’s symptoms generally emerge around the age of 40, while more severe cases emerge as early as in the late teenage years (Maiuri, 2013). In 1993, scientists discovered the HD gene on chromosome 4, which encodes for a protein, named “huntingtin”.…