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Written Assignment: Biology and Technology in the Real World
Addresses course outcomes 1-4:
recognize and explain how the scientific method is used to solve problems
make observations and discriminate between scientific and pseudoscientific explanations
weigh evidence and make decisions based on strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge and the scientific method
use knowledge of biological principles, the scientific method, and appropriate technologies to ask relevant questions, develop hypotheses, design and conduct experiments, interpret results, and draw conclusions
1. Select one of the topics listed below.
2. Find at least three information sources related to the topic. You can find assistance with searching for articles at the UMUC Library Subject Guides at http://libguides.umuc.edu/science.
3. Write a 750-1500 word paper, excluding references and title page. You must read the information sources that you find and summarize the information in your own words, addressing each of the questions and expectations for your chosen topic. Extensive quotes from the article are discouraged. Use APA style for citing references, see https://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/apa_tutorial.cfm
4. Post your assignment to the Assignment folder by the due date listed in the course schedule.
Topics (select one from the list below or from the expanded list of topics posted on November 16th in the announcements section)
a) Genetically modified organisms (GMOs). What is the purpose genetic engineering of crop plants and domestic animals? Briefly explain how GMOs are created. What foods in your supermarket contain GMOs? Are foods that contain GMOs safe for human consumption? What types of regulations exist for these foods? Clearly explain your reasoning for each answer.
b) Stem cells. Your friend had a spinal cord injury after a bad car accident. The medical team has decided that he is a good candidate for a clinical trial using stem cell therapy. Your friend has not had a biology course since high school, so you decide to write him a letter sharing your knowledge of stem cells. Include in your letter a description of the biology of stem cells and how these cells are unique from other cells. Contrast the different types of stem cells, including pros and cons of each. Explain how stems cells are can be used to treat diseases and injury, with special focus on spinal cord injuries. Conclude with your own opinion.
c) Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) and tar sands (oil sands). With society's dependence on nonrenewable fossil fuels, the oil & gas industry is turning to the use of hydraulic fracturing and tar (oil) sands to extract natural gas and oil respectively. A friend asks you "What's all this controversy in the news about fracking and tar sands?" Briefly explain to your friend how hydraulic fracturing and tar (oil) sands are used to obtain these fossil fuels. Then, in more detail, describe the environmental problems that may result from these processes and why they are controversial. Issues that may be addressed involves, but are not limited to, water, air and soil pollution, effects on human health, effects on other species and natural ecosystems. Finally, give your opinions on possible solutions to these environmental problems, with your reasoning backed by the references that you studied.
Please I need help answering those questions i always lose bunch of points i'm not doing it correctly.
Use information from Nature Reviews Microbiology to answer the following question.What is the role of EF-G and EF4 in protein synthesis? Under what circumstances does EF4 participate in translation and what is its role?
from this reading The Highly Conserved LepA Is a Ribosomal Elongation Factor that Back-Translocates the Ribosome Qin Y,Polacek N, Vesper O, Staub E, Einfeldt E, Wilson D.N, and Nierhaus N.H. Cell 127: 721-733 (2006).
Q2. In which species is Lep A found and in which ones is it absent? Is the result expected based on your knowledge of the endosimbiosis theory?
Q3.
3a What is the percentage of identity between LepA and its ortholog genes?
3b. (5pts) Indicate what domains are conserved between Ecoli EFG and LepA, and which ones are not.
3c. What do grey and black boxes in the sequence alignment indicate?
Q4. Analysis of in vivo experiments shown in Figure 3. Only analyze graph on the left side of the figure.
4a. What is the difference between the bacteria whose growth are shown by the blue and the green curves? What can be concluded about the effect of EFG on bacterial growth?
4b. Which protein is expressed by bacteria whose growth is shown by the yellow curve? Does the expression of this protein affect bacterial growth? Compare the yellow and blue curves. How can this result be explained?
4c. Explain why the addition of IPTG results in lower bacterial growth. Compare the yellow and red curves?
4d. Why is the green curve an important control of the experiment? The green curve.
The next questions are based on the reading of the article Elongation factor 4 (EF4/LepA) accelerates protein synthesis at increased Mg2+ concentrations.
Elongation factor 4 (EF4/LepA) accelerates protein synthesis at increased Mg2+ concentrations Pech M, Karim Z, Yamamoto H, Kitakawa H, Qin Y, and Nierhaus K. PNAS 108: 3199-3203(2011)
Studies done in E. coli using a knockout mutant of the lepA gene (ÎlepA , lepA gene has been deleted) did not show any phenotype when grown in rich LB medium. This result was unexpected due to the high level of conservation of EF-4 among species.
Q5. Equal amounts of wild type and mutant cells (lacking the lepA gene) were mixed and co-cultured for 24h. The population distribution was determined every 4 hours. Figure 1 indicates changes in the % of mutant cells over several generations.
Q5a. What is the question that researchers addressed in the experiments shown in Figure 1?
Q5b. Which curve represents the control of the experiment? Do the two strains grow at similar rate? How do you know?
Q5c. Do high salt concentration and/or low temperature have any effect on the growth of mutant cells?
Q5d. What can you conclude about the role of LepA on bacteria growth? When is this protein important?
Q6.
6a. (6pts) Where in the cell is EF4 located? Did you expect that this would be the EF4 location? Why or why not?
What is the question that the researchers want to address in the experiment shown in Figure 2?
6c. Analyze the green and red bars graph shown in Figure 2. What technique was used to detect EF4? Is there any change in EF4 localization?
Q7. Summarize the main points of the model shown in Figure 4
Select the statements that correctly represent the theory ofevolution. Select all that apply.
Evolution is partly about inheritance. Evidence of evolution isseen in structures such as wisdom teeth and the tail bone inhumans. These structures are thought to be âleft overâ from ourancestors and no longer appear to have any essential function inmodern humans.
Natural selection means that todayâs organisms are perfectlyadapted after millions of years of fine-tuning. No further changesare necessary because of all the progress that has been made bynatural selection.
We can see evidence of past natural selection in adaptationssuch as the camouflage of moths perched on the bark of their hosttree. We can also see natural selection at work today if we trackhow populations change in rapidly changing environments.
The theory of evolution does not apply to life today. It isstrictly about the history of life: what happened in the past asseen in fossils.
Scientists disagree about the main ideas of evolutionary theorybecause of incomplete or conflicting evidence.
Question 2
Select one answer.
10 points
The ability or tendency of organisms and cells to maintainstable internal conditions is called
metabolism
homeostasis
emergent property
evolution
Question 3
Why do organisms maintain fairly steady conditions within theircells and bodies?
They need to keep conditions stable so that they can obtainfood.
Organisms just change along with whatever is happening in theoutside world, which is usually quite steady.
They must maintain stable conditions to keep their enzymesworking and generally to enable the chemical reactions of life.
Unstable conditions will destroy the DNA in cells; this is themost important risk for a cell facing physical or chemicalstress.
Question 4
An organism or cell exhibits ____________ when it maintainssteady internal conditions despite changes in the outerenvironment.
balance
natural selection
Question 5
Which type of molecule best illustrates the very strongrelationship between structure and function in biology?
enzymes
oxygen gas
all kinds of organic matter
water
Question 6
Which best expresses how nutrients and energy move throughlife?
Nutrients flow from sunlight to organic matter to heat. Energycycles among all life forms.
Nutrients cycle among all life forms. Energy flows from sunlightto chemical energy to heat.
Nutrients and energy both are continually recycled in a greatcircle of life.
Question 7
Which of the following is not a recurring theme in biology?
Living organisms maintain homeostasis.
Energy flows through living systems while matter isrecycled.
Evolutionary processes explain both the unity and adaptivediversity of life.
All of these are recurring themes.
Question 8
Which statement about evolution is FALSE?
According to evolutionary theory, you are related to abacterium, to a yeast cell, to a snake, and to a whale. In fact,you are related to every species now alive on Earth, and to fossilspecies like dinosaurs as well.
Evolution occurs constantly, without end; there is no endpointin evolution.
Natural selection acts on genetic differences within apopulation to cause evolution. Individuals do not evolve.
Natural selection is about slow but steady progress. Through it,populations constantly get better-adapted. When this process iscompleted for all populations, evolution will come to a stop.
Question 9
Imagine you have a peanut butter sandwich in front of you. Thesandwich is an example of _______.
matter
energy
Question 10
You provide your gut bacteria with a warm place to live. Theyprovide you with vitamins and other services. This most directlyrepresents an example of...
shared ancestry of all life
interdependence of life
