In groups or pairs research the following and report back to your class.
1. Haemophilia is a hereditary disease characterised by a shortage of blood clotting factor VIII. Without the clotting factor, blood fails to clot normal ly and a haemophiliac can bleed to death from a minor injury. Briefly explain how a scientist might:
(a) identify and isolate the gene that codes for factor VIII
(b) produce large quantities of the protein to use as potential medication.
2. DNA technology raises important safety and ethical issues. What safety and ethical issues do you think are the most important? Why? How do you think we should deal with these concerns?
3. Explain fully why some scientists are predicting that certain crop plants will become the pharmaceutical factories of tomorrow.
4. Give an example of one biological, one chemical and one physical mutagen and describe the mechanism by which each causes a mutation.
5. Name one strain of bacteria and one strain of yeast commonly used in recombinant technology and explain why each one is suitable for the process.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2011
UNIT 3, METABOLISM AND SURVIVAL (H, BIOLOGY)