...Karen Bleile Genetic Report for Designer Babies Biology 111-112 / J. Thomson October 30, 2012 In the 21 century the term designer babies made the transition from sci-fi movies into the real world where it is defined as “a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with invitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.” (Oxford University, 2005) Breeders of animals and plants have been using this technique to “produce organisms that will possess desirable characteristics, such as high crop yields, resistance to disease, high growth rate and many other phenotypical characteristics that will benefit the organism and species in the long term.” (Butler, 2012) We need to pause and ask ourselves if we start to cross breed the human race what are the moral or ethical limits, if any, and should we apply guidelines in allowing people to choose their children’s genes or characteristics when designing a baby. In many science fiction movies the subject of having genetically modified humans or creatures are often brought up. The creative author has the ability to give their characters any traits they want. They have the power to make the characters stronger, faster, more intelligent, to specify how they look, or simply be superhuman. Now imagine the scenario if the stories cease to lie in just the films we...
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...Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Um, I’ve been asked to introduce myself before introducing the speaker, which is the main purpose of my being here. Um, I’m, ah, Jean Thomas. I’m the new Biological Secretary of the Royal Society, and I’m pressure biochemistry in-in Cambridge. Ah, the other thing I’ve been asked to do, ah, before I have the pleasure of chairing this lecture, is to ask you all to switch your mobiles off if you would please. And, also to tell you that, ah, this lecture will be recorded and, ah, webcast. So, this is the, uh, Francis Crick, uh, prize lecture, um, we’re about to hear. This was established in, uh, 2003 through an endowment by, uh, Dr. Sydney Brenner, commander of honor and, ah, fellow of the Royal Society, who was the joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2002. The lecture is delivered annually in any field of biological sciences, but preference is given to the general areas in which Francis Crick himself worked—uh, genetics, molecular biology, and neurobiology. And you’ll see that this, ah, evening’s speaker is imminently well-suited to talk to us. So, the Francis Crick lecturer, ah, for this year is Dr. Simon Fisher. Dr. Fisher is, ah, a Royal Society, ah, research fellow, um, so he’s, ah, a fellow of one of our flagship, ah, schemes for young scientists in the society, and he’s also reader in molecular and neuroscience in Oxford at the Welcomme Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Ah, he’s head there of the molecular...
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...identified. This syndecan-1 receptor was identified for the first time in a recent collaborative study carried out by the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. The findings increase our understanding of the strategies by which the virus causes infection in cells and further facilitates the development of baculovirus for applications of gene transfer. According to the researchers, the identification of the syndecan-1 receptor helps in understanding the ways baculovirus interacts with human cells and sheds further light on the mechanisms the virus uses in human cells. The study also focused on the role of the syndecan-1 receptor in the cell penetration of baculovirus. The study was published in the prestigious Journal of Virology. The article was featured in the Spotlight section of the journal, which is reserved for especially interesting and distinguished publications. Used in drugs and vaccines Baculovirus is an insect-infecting virus, which is largely utilised in biotechnology applications. Baculoviruses are used, for example, in the manufacturing of Glybera, the first gene therapy of the Western world, and in the manufacturing of the cancer vaccines Cervarix and Provenge, and the influenza vaccine Flublok. The technology is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, and the European...
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...|Student Name |Date | | | | |Questions |Student Response | | | | |Part I | | | | | |Original DNA Strand: |Transcription (base sequence of RNA): | | | | |3’-T A C C C T T T A G T A G C C A C T-5’ |UUC CCU UUU GUU GCC UCU | | | | | ...
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...examination based on an article given to you a night before the assessment date. The examination contains questions which, in order to answer them, require the information which you have researched. PART 1 - Research/Source analysis task on Gene Therapy. Gene therapy has the potential to treat a number of conditions which hitherto have been untreatable. However, gene therapy has not yet been fully developed and their may be some ethical concerns concerning this form of treating disease. In your research consider the following points: 1. What is gene therapy? 2. What are the advantages of gene therapy as opposed to conventional therapy for some disorders? 3. What procedures are used in gene therapy, eg., what is a vector? 4. Are there some types of cells which are more suitable for gene therapy than other types? 5. What are some conditions in humans which could be potentially treated with gene therapy? 6. Are there any conditions in humans which are being successfully treated with gene therapy on a routine basis? 7. Does gene therapy have any practical potential? 8. What is diabetes? How many kinds of diabetes are there and what are the differences between them? 9. Are there any ethical concerns surrounding gene therapy? 10. References of all your research sources are required. There are no marks allocated for Part 1, but you will need the information obtained in Part 1 to answer the questions in Part 2. PART 2 Part 2 is an ‘open...
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...For my final project, I wish to attempt to explore the philosophical controversies that represented by “new and emergent science”. The field of new and emergent science includes many other sub topics such as human cloning, animal cloning, nanomachines, human genome mapping, and DNA altering. I believe that a person could write many books while only scratching the surface of the philosophical debates that surround these intense issues. I believe that there are specific parts of these new sciences and technologies that a postcolonialist would have issues with – specifically people being able to choose and change the genes of their children. This kind of ability would more than likely be relegated to the rich and affluent, and would serve to further oppress the middle and lower classes who could not afford the procedure. While some of the new sciences do not have the most apparent ethical issues, others are glaringly obvious. In the field of human cloning for instance, there are the ethical questions of what rights would a clone have? Would it be considered “alright” to clone yourself just to harvest organs later on in life should some illness befall you? Or how about the ethics of changing the natural progression of your unborn child by altering their DNA in utero? In my opinion, the way to solve some of these issues would be to have a global summit in order to lay down laws and rules to govern the applications of these sciences. If the leaders of the world were to...
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...treatment (Cohen, 2008). Modern genetic technology started with the genome project which leads to the benefits and development of personalized medicine (Cohen, 2008). The human genome is the blueprint for each person's body, influencing how we look, our genetic predispositions for certain medical conditions, how well our bodies fight disease or metabolize food, and which therapies our bodies do and do not respond to (Hart, 2005). The genome consists of an organism's total DNA, including its genes. DNA—the famous "double helix"—is composed of four chemicals, which are repeated many times in different sequences (Jain, 2007). (The names of the chemicals are abbreviated as A, T, C, and G. That's why DNA is sometimes referred to as a code with a four-letter alphabet) (Jain, 2007). The sequence of the chemicals dictates the type of organism that develops, as well as other critical life functions. The human genome contains approximately 3 billion pairs of these chemicals (Jain, 2007). Genes are believed to make up only about 2 percent of the human genome, with the rest consisting...
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...CHROMOSOME NO 7 CFTR: The Gene Associated with Cystic Fibrosis | Approximate gene location is based on Chromosome 7 map from NCBI Entrez Map Viewer. | Official Gene Symbol: CFTR Name of Gene Product: cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Locus: 7q31.2 - The CFTR gene is found in region q31.2 on the long (q) arm of human chromosome 7. Gene Structure: The normal allelic variant for this gene is about 250,000 base pairs (bp) long and contains 27 exons. mRNA: The intron-free mRNA transcript for the CFTR gene is 6129 bp long. See the NCBI sequence record NM_000492 to access the mRNA sequence data. Coding Sequence (CDS): 4443 bp within the mRNA code for the amino acid sequence of the gene's protein product. Protein Size: The CFTR protein is 1480 amino acids long and has a molecular weight of 168,173 Da. See the annotated CFTR protein sequence record in Swiss-Prot. Protein Function: The normal CFTR protein product is a chloride channel protein found in membranes of cells that line passageways of the lungs, liver, pancreas, intestines, reproductive tract, and skin. CFTR is also involved in the regulation of other transport pathways. Associated Disorders: Defective versions of this protein, caused by CFTR gene mutations, can lead to the development of cystic fibrosis (CF) and congenital bilateral aplasia of the vas deferens (CBAVD). | Figure 1: Diagram depicting the five domains of the CFTR membrane protein (Sheppard 1999). | Protein Structure ...
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...baby before it is even born, or prevent your unborn child from a dreadful disease, or make your baby a genius or an athlete. Scientists could be opening Pandora’s Box with the potential development of human genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the process by which genes are added or transferred to alter the genetic code of an organism (“What is Genetic Modification”). Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2006, genetic engineering has developed rapidly and it seems as though a new discovery or breakthrough is announced every day. Many of the discoveries as well as future prospects have presented numerous challenges and concerns, and continue to be an ethical debate. Human genetic engineering will lead to unfavorable consequences that defy nature, lead to less diversity, and threaten our safety. Scientists are messing with nature in the process of human genetic engineering. There is a delicate balance in nature that should not be tampered with because of the unforeseen effects it could cause. With advancements in genetic engineering and new technologies, scientists are racing to uncover some profound new discovery by experimenting with our genes in a Petri dish. Manipulations to our genes are unnatural and unpredictable. It was just announced this year that the first human ear was grown from animal cells on the back of a rat (Briggs). While this major breakthrough has enormous potential for human replacement parts, it may open the doors to unknown consequences...
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...E.coli Transformation Brooke Rowlett November 26, 2013 BioL 230 Lab Introduction In this experiment we attempted to transform e.coli using a green fluorescent protein plasmid. This green fluorescent protein is naturally found within the bioluminescent jellyfish. The protein can be expressed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Normally whenever bacterial cells contain this protein are exposed to long wave UV radiation, they emit a green light. Bacterial cells acquire the glowing ability through the transformation of the bacteria by a plasmid containing the GFP gene. Transformation is the process in which bacteria take up exogenous DNA to acquire to traits (Witucki). The GFP would be our evidence to see whether or not the transformation was successful. Within this experiment E.coli was supposed to be transformed to have the ability of antibiotic resistance. In the experiment E.coli was first transferred into both DNA- and DNA+ microcentrifuge tubes, and then manipulated into competency so that the plasmid can enter into the cells. E.coli is not naturally competent and therefore we tried to manipulate it by exposing it to abrupt heat and cold treatments and through the treatment of the metal cations of chloride salts. The samples were then transferred to Ampicillin positive and negative plates to test for growth. After incubation, if there was any growth on the plates, the plate was placed under a UV light to look for the green light from the protein. We hypothesized...
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...whether or not eye color is genetic. According to dictionary references, genetics is “the science of heredity, dealing with resemblances and differences of related organisms resulting from the interactions of their genes and the environment” (The Free Dictionary). This means that when it comes to humans each physical characteristic as well as personality is genetically inherited from the offspring. The three main points that will be elaborated on in this paper are the factors that play a role in determining eye color. These factors consist of melanin, EYCL1, and Eycl3. Eye color is a polygenic trait; this means that multiple genes interact to produce the color of peoples’ eyes, hair, and skin. In the past, it was once thought that a “single gene pair following dominant and recessive inheritance patterns was responsible for eye color, but it is now known to be much more complex than that, involving at least three gene pairs”( Forensic Science International). People have begun to focus on two of the three gene pairs that make the genetics of eye color more understandable. These genes are known as “EYCL1, which is also referred to as gey gene, and EYCL3, also known as bey2 gene. For the bey 2 gene if a person has a brown allele then they will have brown eyes. In the gey gene the green allele is dominant over the blue allele, but it is still recessive next to a brown allele” (Forensic Science International). Another factor that plays in determining eye color is melanin. Melanin is known...
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...stone’ categories of race that were once crucial in science. It is detrimental to not only individuals but also groups of people to base our medical research and genetic testing solely on race alone. Ancestry has proven to be a much greater marker for determining if individuals carry genes that code for certain genetic diseases. Where and who we descend from determines what genes we may carry, not simply which ‘race’ or social construction we belong to. The realization that the term ‘race’ is no longer genetically relevant or able to describe the immensity of differences between each and every individual comes from new discoveries in “human genome sequence variation research and molecular anthropological research” (Rosenberg, 2002). Many now understand that ‘race’ is not the correct term, but there is still debate over what framework to use that adequately reflects the new criteria of these recent findings (Royal & Dunston, 2004). This new research in genetic variation has made it near impossible to still believe that race is a genetically relevant way to classify human beings. Our background regarding the variation of our genetic makeup is essentially a melting pot. As ancestors carry on genes and incoming members of the population introduce new ones, our history continues to change. It is said that, “ the process of using genetics to define ‘race’ is like slicing soup, you can cut wherever you want, but the soup stays mixed (Anonymous, 2002).” In other words, there can...
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...makeup. Individuals may wish to be tested if the family shows a history of one specific disease such as Huntington's Disease or breast cancer, if they show symptoms of a genetic disorder which could be improved by early diagnosis, or if they are planning a family and are concerned about the possibility of passing on a genetic trait to their offspring. Genetic testing can also look at the parent's genotype or look at the genotype of the fetus or newborn. This type of testing can also look for a specific disorder or can be done as a general test for common disorders as in prenatal testing or more commonly newborn screening. Genetic tests use techniques to examine genes or markers near the genes. Direct testing for diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell Anemia come from an analysis of an individual's specific genes. A technique called linkage analysis,...
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...email: claire.robinson@earthopensource.org June 2012 Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this paper, or otherwise published by EOS, are those of the authors and do not represent the official policy, position, or views of other organizations, universities, companies, or corporations that the authors may be affiliated with. GMO Myths and Truths 2 About the authors Michael Antoniou, PhD is reader in molecular genetics and head, Gene Expression and Therapy Group, King’s Cols: lege London School of Medicine, London, UK. He has 28 years’ experience in the use of genetic engineering technology investigating gene organisation and control, with over 40 peer reviewed publications of original work, and holds inventor status on a number of gene expression biotechnology patents. Dr Antoniou has a large network of collaborators in industry and academia who are making use of his discoveries in gene control mechanisms for the production of research, diagnostic and therapeutic products and safe and efficacious human somatic gene therapy for inherited and acquired genetic disorders. Claire Robinson, MPhil, is research director at Earth Open Source. She has a background in investigative reporting and the communication of topics relating to public health, science and policy, and the environment. She is an editor at GMWatch (www.gmwatch.org), a public information service...
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...Galactosemia A genetic disorder is a sickness when your genes or chromosomes have abnormalities. There are many different types of genetic disorders from Breast Cancer to Turner Syndrome. The genetic disorder I'm doing is Galactosemia, Galactosemia is an inherited metabolic disorder in which galactose builds up in the blood because of deficiency of an enzyme catalyzing its conversion to glucose. Galactosemia is caused by the lack of a liver enzyme that is needed to metabolize Galactose. It's transmitted by the presence of 2 recessive mutant genes on a autosome. It's also a very rare disease. Galactosemia usually occurs in infants. Some of the symptoms are, vomiting, yellowish color in the skin, when the baby refuses to drink milk/ formula's, poor weight gain, laziness, irribality, and convulsions. Galactosemia is very rare, but it is very serious when a child gets it. If it isn't treated it can result in mental retardation, permanent growth issues, coil infections, severe e, or more. Galactosemia is inherited when both parents of a child, who both carry a autosomal recessive condition. Also they both have to carry a mutated gene, they usually don't show any signs or symptoms of Galactosemia. Galactosemia is very rare, it has 1 in every 300,000 people have it in the USA. Galactosemia was discovered in 1908 by Von Ruess. It was reported when a infant was breast-fed and the infant failed to thrive. The only way they could treat it was to remove milk products from the diet. Gatactosemia...
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