This is the place I (Mr. Toyos) will be using to keep you (my students) informed of the latest developments in the scientific community, linking the topics discussed in class with related articles, websites and any other resource available.
I encourage you to make comments using the link below the posts, start discussions and even bring them to class.
A new study reveals that insomnia is actually produced by a gene that has been initially found in fruit flies. The scientists believe that it also applies to humans that also carry this mutation in the protein. Fruit flies, and humans, with this gene normally sleep two-thirds than normal and live shorter lives than those who have regular sleeping cycles. It also contributes to conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The article states that even though humans and fruit flies are barely similar, the sleeping characteristics are most probably similar. This gene deprives people, and fruit flies, of their sleep and consequently entails chronic life-long sleep disorders. In the article it also mentions that “Dr. Nicholas Stavropoulos, of Rockefeller University said that ‘this work gives us several new clues about how sleep is controlled at the molecular level.’.”
The scientists that discovered the “insomnia” gene used hypothesis based science because they tested it on more than 20,000 fruit flies and they experienced the same mechanism in sleep disorder.
The findings of this gene are important to humans because it gives explanations to millions of people that suffer from chronic sleep disorders and insomnia. It is a step forward towards why insomnia exists in humans and in animals. This is one of many other conclusions that have been brought up as possible solutions to the reason why insomnia is present.
Bibliography
Title of article: Discovered: The 'insomnia' gene that means you sleep two-thirds less than normal (... and don't live as long)
Four percent of the people that live in Africa have DNA that comes from Neandertals. This is a result of interbreeding between Neanderatls and early modern humans. Scientist discovered this by looking at a Neandertal genome, which shows 60 percent of the entire genome. They used DNA that came from three Neandertal bones that are over 38,00 years old. They saw that twelve genome regions where non-Africans shows variants that were not seen in Africans and therefor came from Neandertals. Neandertals lived in Eurasia, not in Africa. They found that 10/12 variants in non-Africans came from Neanderatls. They saw that the Neandertal sequence was equally close to people from France, Papua NEw guinea and China. Scientist explain this by implying that their might have been interbreeding in the Middle East. They discovered that many people, besides Africans have some Neandertal inheritance.
Was the article you selected an example of discovery science or hypothesis based science? Explain This article is a hypothesis based science because scientist noticed patterns in genomes and then created a hypothesis that they then researched.
What importance does the research or findings have for humans? This research is important evidence for multi regional evolution. This helps to indicate which parts of the modern genome separates humans from all other living creatures. This may have helped modern humans adapt. These regions helped in the study of cognitive development, sperm movement, and the physiology of the skin. They still want to understand how these small changes to the modern human sequence impact the functioning of the genome regions.
About 50 years ago researchers discovered that the quantity of purple color in corn deviated from the accepted laws of heredity. However, this paramutation, or a genetic trait that, according to theory, should have been removed over the generations but has resurfaced in newer generations, remained unexplained. In 2006 Minoo Rassoulzadegan of Inserm in France and some of his colleagues noticed a similar occurrence of paramutations when working with mutant mice. A mutation in the Kit gene causes white pathces of fur to grow in certain areas on brown-coated mice. Researchers bred two heterozygous parents, each with one normal copy of the gene and one mutated copy of it. The scientists hypothesized that the offspring that inherited 2 normal copies of the gene should not have developed the white patches on their coats, but they did. In searching for an explanation to this phenomena, researchers noticed that the mutant mice had unusually low levels of regular RNA and higher levels of mRNA (messenger RNA), and the mRNA was found to have made its way into the sperm. When testing this hypothesis by injecting this RNA into embryos 50% of the offspring had the white patches. Although we still don't know why the RNA is having an effect on hereditary factors, this discovery may force biology textbooks to rewrite the chapters on the causes for genetic variations.
This experiment was an example of hypothesis-based science because the scientists noticed certain patterns and then based on previous knowledge made a hypothesis which they tested various times in order to find an explanatory result for their question.
Author: David Biello
Title of Article: Mouse Finding Violates Law of Heredity
How did the zebra get its stripes? The first thing that would come to mind would be an amusing and entertaining camouflage explanation. This would make sense if we lived in a black and white world in which zebras would basically fuse with their surroundings. But that is not the case. The reality of the situation is that the black and white stripes of the zebra are not the only important part of their skin coat, but also the arrangement and angles of the stripes.
In MANY places of the world, especially in Africa and Budapest, there is a big concentration of insects called Horseflies or Tabanids. These deliver nasty bites, carry countless diseases and (most annoying) distract gazing animals from feeding. "According to 'Horvath' the Tabanids are attracted to horizontally polarized light because reflections from water are horizontally polarized and aquatic insects use this phenomenon to identify stretches of water where they can mate and lay eggs. However, blood-sucking female Tabanids are also guided to victims by linearly polarized light reflected from their hides". Basically it means that these insects are attracted not only to horizontally arranged "lights", but they are also attracted to darker colors.
After several experiments with different kinds of horses to prove this, it has been concluded that the "flies" were not attracted to white horses; however, the brown and black horses were completely covered with bites.
Zebras have an arrangement of mostly vertically aligned stripes and those have a variety of black and white patterns in them. The flies are DEFINETELY not attracted to the color white. You might ask “but what about the black stripes?”. That’s when the arrangement of the stripes comes in. The stripes are arranged in a non-vertical position so that the flies are actually repelled by the positioning of the lines.
This is a hypothesis based discovery because the scientists involved in this experiment knew that the stripes had some sort of function (in the zebra), but they did not have clear what it was. They experimented on several horses and zebras, and concluded what they started their research for; the purpose of the stripes.
This discovery does not really have a direct importance for humans, but it is valuable knowledge and it could be helpful in future situations.
Born to Run: Humans will never win a sprint against your average quadruped. But our species is well-adapted for the marathon.
We have a right to conclude that, four our size, humans are pretty poor runners when it comes to chasing a cat that’s trying to avoid a bath. Were we excel is endurance running. Also, we run long distances at fast speeds. Joggers can do a mile in seven and half minutes while top marathoners can do five minute miles together for more than two hours. A quadruped of about 150 pounds takes nine and a half minutes. Good endurance runners are rare among animals.
But what evidence can support the idea that endurance running gave early humans an evolutionary advantage? Long legs and the long stride they enable are helpful to walking as well as to running. But running and walking are mechanically different gaits. A walking person, aided by gravity, acts as an inverted pendulum: the hip swings over the planted foot. A runner bounces along, aided by tendons and ligaments that act as springs, which alternately store and release energy. Also, endurance running requires more stabilization of the trunk than walking does. Members of the genus Homo have substantial gluteus maximus muscles and have large attachments from the hip to the base of the spine. In cave men fossils, the muscle has more limited area of attachment. Chimpanzees are gluteally challenged also. Large butt muscles make for efficient energy transfer during running by stabilizing each hip. But the muscles are not used for walking on level ground.
The shoulder of the chimp is well stabilized, tied to the spine and the head by many strong muscles. In humans, the shoulders are less robust because when we walk, our shoulders don’t move much. When we run, because of the loose attachment, the shoulders rotate strongly one way while the hips rotate the other, which keeps us in balance. We can also swing the upper body without rotating the head, so we can see where were going. Homo also has several “antibobblehead” adaptations that apes and cavemen lack. The first is a modification of semicircular canals, the organs in each ear that tell the brain which way is up. Three canals sit at right angles to each other in each inner ear. Two are enlarged in Homo, and the size makes it easier to sense, and to counteract, a moving head. An elastic ligament that runs from a ridge at the base of the skull to the base of the neck also damps the bobbing effect. Analougous ridge structures, to which damping ligaments can be attached, occur in dogs and horses, but not in the chimp. Bramble and Lieberman’s analysis makes corrections to the scientific picture of early humans. Our ancestors might have ranged across large distances in the heat of African dessert in relatively short spurts of long-distance running, as well as walking. They may have been trying to maximize the chance of encountering carrion before other scavengers did, or perhaps they were adapted to running down prey before spear throwers or bows were invented.
Scientific Article Analysis
Topic: Genetic traits in sexual organisms.
Find an article that discusses any genetic trait that is presented in any sexual organism; you can talk about particular characteristics, genetic defects, particular adaptations that enhance the survival of an organism, etc.
Read the article and type a one paragraph summary of the findings. Post your work on the Biotic-Blog (link), don’t forget to log in with your Gmail account.
Analysis
After the paragraph, identify the approach the researcher or group of researchers took to make their discovery.
·Was the article you selected an example of discovery science or hypothesis based science? Explain
My article is discovery science because we discovered the qualities of the tendons and shoulders of the chimps, the homo, and the cavemen.
·What importance does the research or findings have for humans?
It gives a good adaptation for survival and health.
The human body is filled with antibodies that fight invaders, cells that regenerate, and structures whose job is to ensure that the body runs smoothly. For instance, the structure myelin, is a material that surrounds the axons of our nerve cells, therefore, making them send signals. However, in demyelinatin diseases, myelin and oligodendrocytes that makes it, become damaged. As a result, in Caltech researches have found a way to help the brain replace injured oligodendrocytes and myelin. They have created a gene therapy used to produce new oligodendrocytes, which play an important role in an adult’s nervous system, from stem and progenitor cells. Benjamin Deverman, a postdoctoral in biology at Caltech described it as “…Using the brain’s own progenitor cells as a way to boost repair.” This therapy uses leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) because it enables remyelination by stimulating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells to proliferate and make new oligodendrocytes. These researches conducted an experiment-using mouse and they said that when they gave LIF therapy, it not only triggered the proliferation of the progenitor cells, but allows them to differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes. Using LIF has some benefits; for instance, one avoids potential side effects that may appear when the therapy is introduced in the bloodstream. Moreover, it is also helpful for spinal-cord injury patients. Researches have not yet held a human clinical trial, but they plan to have a virus that will carry the genetic material, LIF, into the cells; however, they cannot control the virus, which makes it a little dangerous. As a result, Patterson and Deverman are attempting to develop viruses that can target LIF in specific cell types and turn it on and off externally, providing a means to regulate LIF levels.
This article is an example of hypothesis-based science because researchers conducted a clinical trial on mouse and observed how this gene therapy worked. In addition, they have come up with explanations to certain effects and causes of this gene therapy using LIF that have appeared on mice. This will greatly help human life because it will help human beings to allow the brain to replace damaged cells that play an extremely important role in the nervous system of adults.
California Institute of Technology. “Gene therapy boosts brain repair for demyelinatin diseases." ScienceDaily, 9 Feb. 2012. Web. 9 Feb. Page 1. 2012.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140208.htm
Researchers working with mice in Emory University discovered that a small manipulation in their genes can increase brain performance and boost memory. It is a gene that is present in both humans and mice. Pharmacologist John Hepler and his team studied CA2, a part of the hippocampus that, instead of participating in the learning and memory process, has neurons that are full of a protein that inhibits the communication between them. They found that mice bred to not have the gene for this protein, RGS14, did better in memory tests with no observable negative side effects. Serena Dudek, a neuroscientist, says if this gene that "makes us dumber" has remained with natural selection, then there must be some reason for it, and maybe the downside just hasn't been found. Neurobiologist Alcino Silva agrees, saying that when one thing is enhanced something else must be diminished.
This article presents an example of hypothesis science. The scientists were looking for something that affected memory (the protein), and then carried out experiments to see which gene produced it. Once they found it, they hypothesized that removing this gene would improve the memory of these mice. Their theory seems to have been correct so far. If this technique was perfected, and confirmed to have no negative side effects, the possibilities of applying it to human medicine would be endless. In the future, advanced treatments that target this gene or protein specifically could be used for learning or memory disabilities.
The article is about an experiment conducted by Stephen Kowalczykowski and Anthony Forget on how DNA strands find their exact match. For 50 years since James Watson and Francis Crick showed that DNA is a double helix of two strands complementing each other, how they find their match has been a mystery in the biological word. In a process called recombination, a damaged piece of double stranded DNA by stripping it to a single strand which looks for a complementary sequence in an intact chromosome to use a template to guide the repair. However, for over 20 years, Forget and Kowalczykowski have done experiments in their lab to see how the process happens. They did this by stretching single molecules of DNA between two tiny beads to make a dumbbell shape held in place by a laser. A protein RecA is then added to the singled strand to see how it will find its match with other DNA genomes. If there are defects in DNA repair and copying, it can cause cancer, birth defects, and other problems.
Hypothesis based because they carried out and performed an experiment to find out how one DNA strand matches up with another one.
This is important because now humans know how the DNA double helix is combined and formed so they can continue to research to find out to avoid certain mutations for the better and avoid diseases that could have once kill you.
Title of Article: Neanderthal DNA Boosts Your Immune System
Journal: Discover Magazine
Date Published: December 22, 2011
Current research has recently found that our human ancestors’ mating with Neanderthals and Denisovans (a recently discovered archaic human group) may have made them, any through evolution, modern humans as well, less susceptible to local infections. When ancient humans mated with Neanderthals and Denisovans, they picked up some of their DNA, which may have helped fortify the modern immune system.
Laurent Abi-Rached, a Stanford immunologist has stated that “breeding with our evolutionary cousins may have facilitated the spread of modern humans by preventing them from getting sick” and gave them a survival advantage as they migrated out of Africa to Europe and Asia. A team at Stanford University found that the ancient gene for HLA-A or human leukocyte antigen class 1 genes, which play a vital role in rallying the immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses and helps the body resist viruses like Epstein-Barr, is still present in half of all modern Europeans, more than 70 percent of Asians, and up to 95 percent of people in Papua New Guinea.
Scientists have been looking at bone marrow registries containing HLA genes of people from all parts of the globe. They have compared DNA from modern humans with the reconstructed genomes of Neanderthals and Denisovans and have discovered that many HLA variants from the ancient peoples are still around.
This article is an example of discovery science because in discovery science observations are made, analyzed and then tested in order to discover patterns and hopefully form a hypothesis to be formally tested. That is exactly what happened here. It was observed that modern human DNA shared many similarities with that of Neanderthals and Denisovans. Those observations were analyzed and then tested to find the cause of the similarities.
These findings help to explain where our immune system comes from and shows how ancient species played a part in how humans are today.
In a recent study of more than 180,000 people, researchers have analyzed and found genetic differences that dictate height. The association of the Genetic Investigation of Anthropocentric Traits (GIANT) found that there are 180 gene regions that determine human height. There are 21 of these variants that cluster around genomes to regulate the building of bones. Approximately 80% of our height factors are due to genetics and the rest is influenced by environmental factors and diet.
This article demonstrates importance in the contribution of research and the association GIANTto the discovery of new complex genetic traits such as determining height factors . It's an example of discovery science, because research was conducted in order to find a specific factor of genetics (height), not necessarily to prove a hypothesis.
A group of Korean geneticists altered the sexual preferences of female mice by removing one single gene that was linked to their reproductive behaviors. When they took out the gene the female mice would move and spend more time around their same sex. Then there are the female mice who didn't have their gene taken out which is called FucM(fucose mutarotase), and they were attracted to male mice. Chankyu Park from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology mentions that, the absence of FucM tricks the female mouse brains into functioning like male brains.
This experiment was done by a group of Korean geneticists. The article selected is discovery science, certain experiments were performed before coming to a firm conclusion that by removing a single gene linked to a mice's reproductive behavior the mice begin to interact more with their same sex. This article is very significant becuase Changyu Park, one of the scientists involved in the experiment wants to see if their truly is a "Gay Gene" in the human body.
There are many factors that affect how long a person lives, for example: a healthy lifestyle, or specific environmental factors, but there is a new factor that many people did not know about, genes. Scientists have found proof that there are certain genes that determine how long, and how healthily, someone will live. Also, there is proof that there are specific genes that could help to protect against diseases that someone could potentially acquire in the future, like cancer, dementia, and/or cardiovascular diseases. Scientists also believe that some day soon they will be able to tell if a person will live into old age, and eventually be able to prevent age-related illnesses.
Paola Sebastiani, professor of biostatistics at Boston University (B.U.) School of Pubic Health, and Thomas Perls, professor of medicine and geriatrics at the B.U. School of Medicine, are the leaders of the study. These professors stated however that undoubtedly lifestyle choices such as: diet, exercising, and smoking habits play an "undisputed role in determining not only how long one will live, but also how well one ages. Also, scientists are led to believe that looking at one's family tree may indicate whether you have a familiar tendency toward longevity. Scientists indicate that there are at least two important ways in which genetics contribute to the degree of longevity of a person: 1) An individual may inherit certain genetic variations that predispose him or her to disease that decreases longevity, 2) other gene variants may confer disease resistance, thereby increasing it.
Was the article you selected an example of discovery science or hypothesis based science? Explain
a) The article I selected is an example of hypothesis based science because scientists still have not been able to pinpoint the exact genes that increase longevity of life nor have they been able to completely prove the observation.
What importance does the research or findings have for humans?
a) The research that these scientists are trying to prove is important for humans because they could see if a certain person is going to have a long life, any diseases or sicknesses that are significant to know for the future, and if there is any way to prevent them.
Author: Nicholette Zeliadt
Name of Article:
Live Long and Proper: Genetic Factors Associated with Increased Longevity Identified
After extensive testing and research, geneticists have discovered the origin of blue eyes. Apparently blue eyes come from a mutation that occurred in Europe as many as 10,000 years ago. As report coauthor Jesper Troelsen stated, "There was one founder mutation that gave rise to all the people in Europe who have blue eyes.” By testing about 800 different people from Denmark, Turkey, and Jordan, geneticists determined the single base-pair change in the human genome that showed up in all the blue-eyed people and none of the brown-eyed people. Because the stretch of DNA was so similar and barely shuffled, they inferred that it was a relatively new mutation.
This discovery was an example of discovery-based science, not hypothesis-based science, because the scientist discovered the mutation through experimentation and analysis.
This discovery is important because because it gives us new found insight into the origins of race and genetic traits found commonly in human today.
Citation:
Rice, Jocelyn. "Geneticists Uncover the Origin of Blue Eyes." 14 Dec. 2008. Web
The idea of being able to edit genetic traits in children has come true. It has been present for a while now but only used to try and remove diseases so that the baby will not be born with any life threatening diseases. Now we have the knowledge and technology to change more specific traits such as gender but many of the labs are afraid to begin this program. In a survey of 999 people there were several different requests made that they would implant into there children's traits such as being taller, being more athletic, and even being smarter. Than there was also the idea of how other people would react to genetically engineering baby's and in a way make a superior human by editing all these traits. It is controversial but the U.S. allowed labs to change traits and out of 137 labs about 50% of them now offer gender selection.
its hypothesis based science because it has been tested to achieve the correct format for the process which is so delicate.
This discovery could be one of the greatest discovery's as far as how impact full it will be on society ever. It allows us to change genetic traits in human beings. We could make are race stronger, smarter, taller and etc. It basically places the characteristics of are own race in are own hands.
Bibliography
Gautam Naik, A Baby, Please. Blond, Freckles -- Hold the Colic, February 12, 2009
A team of researchers that includes members from the University of North Carolina, discovered hundreds and hundreds of genes that influence human height. The results of their findings was that a large number of genes in an individual helps determine their height. The study appears in the journal Nature, and it states that the study is a result of the largest association of scientists and researchers which gave themselves the name GIANT(Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits) to ever study the trait and genes of height. This association brought hundreds of researchers and individuals to see which genes affect the height in over two-hundreds individuals. The researchers that were competing in finding which genes affect the height, finished combining their results because they noticed that height was a complex genetic trait. The members of this association are researching to find "the missing heritability" which is the proportion of inherited variation of height.
Analysis :
·Was the article you selected an example of discovery science or hypothesis based science? Explain - This article was an example of hypothesis based science, because the GIANT association of researches conducted an experiment to try to figure out the complex genetic traits of height.
·What importance does the research or findings have for humans?
- The importance of this experiment for humans is that they are finally coming to a close of genetic traits and figuring out what does each gene do or does to the human being and seeing if more genes affects the height or stature of the individual.
d
titleTitle: Scientists stack up new genes for height
Summary: Andrée Marion is a 47 year-old accountant from Quebec. She has a rare defect that causes mirror movements, which are involuntary motions on one side of her body that mirror the voluntary movements from the other. Side. For example, when she brushes her hair or reaches for change in her pocket with her right hand, her left hand does exactly the same movements. It can’t be controlled. Her son has the same defect, half of her relatives from 4 generations have the same mirror movements. She seems to have a rare disorder of nervous system crossing. This mutation is caused by a faulty gen, deleted in colorectal cancer, it interferes with the interaction with netrin, this protein helps guide axons across the body’s midline during development. In Marion’s case, the mirror movements are in most of her body. She can type, drive and do most things without difficulty.
Analysis: It is discovery based science because it was discovered in a human, not only made into a hypothesis. The discovery was observed and the data was analyzed to see what kinds of patterns could be found. The discovery was very important for humans because it helped find the reason for the rare mutation. It also gave an insight to what it can cause and what it is caused by.
Moisse, Katie. "Rare Mutation That Causes Mirror Movements Reflects Nervous System's Complexity: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. .
-Zoe McCloskey
Coffee Drinking in Your Genes? Genetic Variants in Two Genes Linked With Caffeine Intake
It has been discovered that the need to drink coffee is actually in our genes. A team of scientist from the national cancer institute, Harvard school of public health and university of North Carolina examined 47,000 individuals. They looked at the genetic variations’ across the entire genome and discovered that two genes affect the intake of caffeine which was CYP1A2 and AHR. The individuals that had the highest-consumption genotype for both genes consumed 40 mg more caffeine than the individuals with lower consumption genotypes. Not only does it affect the amount of caffeine that a person intakes it can lead to specific physiological and medical disorders, by changing moods physical performance and sleep patterns. They concluded that more test similar to this genome-based strategy could show more behavior and dietary determinates in our genes. It is a discovery based science because the researchers were simply studying the human genome and discovered this connection. It is import because the more we understand the human genome the easier it will be easier to discovered cures for diseases such as cancer diabetes. THE END
Article: 1 shot of gene therapy and children with congenital blindness can now see.
Summary: This study was conducted by researchers in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and they used gene therapy to mprove vision in five children and seven adults. A boy, born with a retinal disease that would eventually make him blind, has now regained some sight, after only one injection of genes that produce light-sensitive pigments in the back of his eye. These patients can not see completely yet, but they are all now able to navigate a low-light obstacle course. Half of them no longer classify as clinically blind. Two of the subjects of this gene therapy were the youngest ever (8 years old) and the oldest ever (44 year old). They received a modified version of the gene via a surgical procedure and injections. The children in the study were the most improved.
Analysis
After the paragraph, identify the approach the researcher or group of researchers took to make their discovery.
Was the article you selected an example of discovery science or hypothesis based science? Explain
This is an example of hypothesis based science. The scientists reasoned that these light sensitive genes might have a positive effect on bettering sight in patients that have genetic problems in this aspect and they were correct.
What importance does the research or findings have for humans?
These findings can open the door for further treatments that can eventually possibly cure people of their blindness. These diseases previously had no treatment, and the fact that children responded best to the therapy means that the degeneration of eyesight can be prevented from early childhood.
In a cell the power house, the provider for cell life is the mitochondria and a defective mitochondria could cause deseases in offspring. Geneticist
Shoukhrat Mitalipov of Oregon Health and Science University and his team
conducted an experiment with monkeys, in which they swapped the monkeys’
mitochondria’s and yielded four healthy offspring’s.The mitochondria of one of the monkeys was
emptied and left only with the DNA and then refilled with the genetic material
of the other monkey, a process known as “cellular shell game”.
Analysis
·This article is an example of
hypothesis-based science because the group of scientists had a hypothesis that
the Mitochondria of an organism could be swapped and altered and then be
reintegrated into the organism and yield healthy offspring.
·This research can be very important for
humans because it can be used to “cure” or prevent hereditary diseases. Doctors
can now swapped damaged mitochondria for healthy ones and prevent any
hereditary disease caused by the unhealthy mitochondria.
Bibliographic Citation
·Author:
Amy Barth | Title: Genetic
Disease Cured Using Cellular Shell Game | Journal: Discover Magazine | Date Published: January 25, 2010 | Site: www.discovermagazine.com
|
