Reverse transcriptase

It is generally accepted that a virophage is a viral agent that infects other larger viruses. It is a dsDNA virus which utilizes the replication factories of other viruses to reproduce itself. Virophages are essentially parasitic in nature, much in the same way as traditional satellite viruses. It is not without controversy that distinctions between satellite viruses and virophages are described. The difference between the two often seem more semantic than factual and more supported by…

dependent variable was the different levels of miRNA expression. The plants were then collected into a tube and grinded in a lysis mix with a pestle. To isolate the small RNAs, the Sigma mirPremier miRNA isolation kit was used. Reverse Transcriptase Master Mix was then used for the reverse transcription reactions by putting the miRNAs in a thermocycler to convert them into single stranded DNA. Finally, qt-PCR was used to analyze the levels of…

the subject of future investigation; thus the final analyses included 92 cases out of the 100). To determine the differences in the relative expression profiles, we performed univariate analyses using the Mann Whitney-U test. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays confirmed this finding. As shown in Figure 2, the median values of hs-miR-196a2 for the pre- and post-menopausal…

The theory of evolution is a controversial subject for some. People who resent the theory of evolution think, “the world was covered in water and there was [nothing] but worms and blobs of jelly” (Inherit the Wind). However, to clear things up, the world was nothing like this. Several indisputable, famous studies and experiments have supported the theory of evolution. Bacterial antibiotic evolution is the growing resistance to antibiotics through mutations in bacteria’s DNA. Vestigial organs…

A colorimetric 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT, Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Co.) assay was performed to measure the cell viability. Briefly, RAW 264.7 cells were treated with different concentrations of spermidine for 24 h or pretreated with spermidine for 1 h before stimulation with LPS for 24 h. After incubation, the medium was discarded, and MTT solution (5 mg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline, PBS) was added to each well and incubated for another 3 h at 37 °C. The…

Scientific experiments and observations have led to many discoveries, which in turn have allowed scientists to develop a better understanding on the way diseases originate in humans. Molecular biology in particular has allowed scientists to discover the way in which domains, found in proteins impact a genome. Domains are autonomous folding units that carry out specific functions and mechanisms in a certain protein. These functions consist of being responsible for interactions in the cell, which…

dehydration. Under these conditions, DNA is naturally driven into the A form, thus protecting it from further damage. Switching to the A conformation has also been highlighted as a means of creating a more stable structure for transcription. A HIV reverse transcriptase was shown to switch the DNA to the A form before proofreading, in order to improve the accuracy and reduce errors. Other functions of A-DNA have been shown in protein binding, such as to CAP and…

In the chapter titled, “Immortality,” Matt Ridley discusses the idea of the immortal cell theory. He presents some case studies as well as his own speculations. To began, he explains how the origin of the first cell is still alive in us today and although this is true it does not mean our species will live forever. The function of our life and all life is to reproduce but to get to that we have over came many challenges. On Chromosome 14, the presence of the TEP1 gene seems to be the source of…

Diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis type 1 is based mainly on clinical findings which meet the diagnostic criteria for Neurofibromatosis 1 which was developed by the National Institutes of Health. Since Neurofibromatosis 1 is caused by heterozygous pathogenic modifications in NF1, molecular testing is rarely needed for diagnosis, and is only useful for certain individuals. The diagnostic criteria for Neurofibromatosis 1 is: 1 they must have six or more café-au-lait macules which are, for prepubescent…

Case Study 1 1. This article featured in Daily mail newspaper. It has been updated on 3rd of June 2010. 2. Tekmira is the pharmaceutical company involved in the research. 3. Ebola was the disease which was being treated. The key symptom of Ebola is haemorrhagic fever and the typical outcome of Ebola is 90% death. It’s transmitted via personal contact e.g. bodily fluid such as blood and saliva. 4. The company used a small interfering RNAs which hold the virus at bay until the immune system is…