Biotechnology WebQuest
In this assignment, you will focus on recent advances in biotechnology. You
will use your smart phone as your computer and go to my webpage –
Mstephens.wikispaces.com and open the assignment on the AP Biology
page. This way you can link directly to each of the websites by clicking on
the link. I have checked all of the websites and they are operational, so you
can find the information that you need as you work in groups at your table.
Only one paper will be turned in per table.
A)
Web site name: Nova – Cracking the code of life
Web URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genome/dna.html#
Click on “Journey into DNA” at the bottom of the page (if you do not have
Flash, you can either download it for free from this page, or just click on the
“non-Flash version”). In the Flash version, click on the + sign to go to the
next page.
1)
Roughly how many cells are in the human body?
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2)
What is the result of DNA “turning on” or “turning off” different
sections of its information?
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3)
Which cell does not have a nucleus?
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4)
What do dark bands in the chromosome indicate?
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5)
How many atoms make up a nucleotide?
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B)
Web site name: BBC News (31 August 2005)
Web site address:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4197844.stm
Read “Life code of chimps laid bare”
6)
How similar are humans and chimps in the most important areas of
their “life codes” (the genes): ___________ % identical
7)
Which five countries worked together to sequence the chimp DNA?
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8)
How long ago did chimps and humans share a common ancestor?
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9)
If you include non-coding or “junk” DNA how different are we from
chimps? ___________ %
10)
What are three human characteristics?
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11)
Which gene seems to protect chimps from Alzheimer’s disease?
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12)
Which other mammals have had, or are having, their genes
sequenced?
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C)
Web site name: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Web site URL:
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetest.shtml
Read “Gene testing”
13)
In gene tests, what do scientists scan a patient’s blood for?
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14)
How much do the tests cost?
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15)
What are two advantages of genetic testing (use your own words):
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16)
What is one disadvantage of testing?
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17)
How many genetic tests are available?
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18)
Is genetic testing regulated? ________ Do you think it should be?
(explain):
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D)
Web site name: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Forensics)
Web site address:
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/forensics.shtml
19)
How many DNA regions do forensic scientists scan?
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20)
What are two examples, apart from crime scenes, where forensic
identification is useful?
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21)
What percentage of DNA differs from person to person?
_______________
22)
What are the odds for correct identification in eyewitness accounts?
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23)
Why is RFLP not used as much as it once was?
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24)
Using STR analysis what are the odds that two individuals will have
the same DNA profile? __________________________________
25)
What material can be analyzed with mitochondrial DNA but not with
STR? ______________________________________________
26)
Click on one of the “Interesting Uses of DNA Forensic
Identification”, and summarize what is says in your own words:
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E)
Find Websites that answer the following questions:
27)
How has the crime clear-up rate changed since DNA evidence was
introduced? From: _____% to _____%
28)
Which state in the US allows police to retain DNA evidence from all
those arrested? ____________________________________
29)
What is one argument against an increased DNA database?
________________________________________________________
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30)
Do you think that Florida should allow the police to keep DNA
samples of everyone who has been arrested? _________ Explain
why.
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31)
Do you think that everyone in the entire country should be DNA
fingerprinted? ___________ Explain your answer.
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F)
Go to a news website, such as CNN http://www.cnn.com
or ABC news http://abcnews.go.com/ or your local news station.
Use the “Search” button to look for recent articles dealing with
“genetic fingerprint” or “DNA fingerprint” or “biotechnology”. Click
on several sites and pick the most interesting one.
34). Which news site did you go to?
_______________________________
35). What is the title of the article you picked?
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36). Does the website have photos or diagrams?
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37). Briefly summarize the article in your own words:
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