Second Quarter Project: Genetics
You will each be assigned a human chromosome to research and construct. Below is a list of students
preceded by the chromosome you are responsible for researching.
Student Name(s)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
X.
Y.
A list follows of criteria you will need to include.
Criteria:
1. 3 page paper on your chromomsome + cover page and figures/tables (DS, 12 point, standard
font i.e. Arial, Times, Chicago or Helvetica) and references.
2. A model of your chromosome (as seen during prophase), to scale, with your picture at the
centromere and capable of being hung from the ceiling. Scale: 1 inch = 10 million bp (10,000 kb).
Diameter of chromatid should be approximately 1-1.5 inches
3. Orally present your chromosome in 3-5 minutes.
Information to include:
1. Base pair length of chromosome
2. Genes of interest (at least 3) located on chromosome (and where)
3. Known/suspected mutations
4. Base sequence of gene/mutation on chromosome (identify the base sequence mutation)
5. Linked genes found on the chromosome (genes that don’t recombine much)
6. Approximately how many genes have been found on the chromosome
7. Approximately what percentage of the chromosome has been sequenced
7. Relative size of chromosome to the other chromosomes
8. Chromosome map of part or all of chromosome (model substitutes map if you choose this
route)
9. Any other information about the chromosome you find to be interesting or relevent (e.g. where
it is/was sequenced, etc.)
Information to include on model: you don’t have to go so far as to sequence everything possible, but
showing loci with their corresponding genes (two or three of interest) and detail within the chromosome is
desired and necessary. Include the gene locations on your map and on the model, which should be 3D
and may be constructed out of materials of your choice.
I recommend a book entitled Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters written by Matt
Ridley (1999). Copies are available for checkout for a couple of days. It is divided into chapters, each
representing a chromosome and it is much easier to follow than some of the VERY scientific websites you
are likely to encounter during your searches. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP when you run into sites that are
REALLY SCARY looking to you. Just browse through and absorb what you can. Forget about the rest.
The purpose of this project is to get an overall understanding of your chromosome. When we are finished
we will hang the chromosomes in the classrooms, so please make an homologous pair (one for KHS, one
for RHS). The completed project will be due on TBA . Check the wiki periodically for suggested
research sites and other possible resources. Students, please feel free to submit helpful, user-friendly
sites to the instructor when you discover them. Have fun . . . Mrs. Perry