Genetics and Molecular Biology
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Select a topic/code that is unique
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Produce a full draft by the due date.
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Compose a written report, supplied to your teacher, which must include a complete bibliography of your research sources. This will be the basis for the assessment of your work.
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Produce a report approx. 1000-1500 words. It can be typed or neatly handwritten.
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Timely guidance and advice to get (and keep) your ERT moving.
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Suggested World Wide Web (WWW) links (not exhaustive) to useful sites pertaining to your topic.
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Class time to work on the ERT
 Criteria to guide your performance
ERT assigned
Draft of report submitted
Final report submitted
Due Date (sample)
Week 5
Week 8
Week 9

Sub investig ation
What do I need to know?
What does it code for?
How can you be sure?
What could go wrong?
A
Have you:
 applied knowledge and understanding to complex and challenging tasks so as to reveal the code and it’s product
 Evaluated the design of the investigation and reflected of the adequacy of the data collected and proposed refinements to the code cracking
 Interpreted and critically analysed your results and linked theoretical concepts to draw conclusions about what could go wrong with this code
B
Have you:
 linked related ideas, concepts, principles and theories to reveal meaningful interrelationships in the theoretical genetics that are essential to understanding the code
 explained ideas, concepts, principles and theories and discussing interrelationships in the theoretical genetics that are essential to understanding the code
 applied knowledge and understanding to complex tasks to interpret the code and it’s product.
 Evaluated the design of the investigation and the adequacy of the data
 Interpreted results and drawn conclusions about what could go wrong with this code
C
Have you:
D
Have you:
 defined and describing ideas, concepts, principles and theories, and identified interrelationships in the theoretical genetics that are essential to understanding the code
 applied knowledge and understanding to a range of tasks to discuss the code and it’s product.
 stated ideas and using terminology relevant to concepts and recalled interrelationships in theoretical genetics that are essential to understanding the code
 Made statements about the code
E
Have you attempted to:
 state terminology and ideas relevant to concepts of theoretical genetics
 Make statements about the code
 Discussed the procedure of “cracking the code”
 Used data to make statements relating to the task
 Discussed your results and drawn some conclusions regarding what could go wrong with this code
 Used data to make statements about what could go wrong
 Use data to make statements
 Use data to make statements

What are the issues with biotech?
 critically analysed and evaluated information and data from a variety of valid and reliable sources on the biological issues of biotechnology
 considered alternatives and predictions on the biological issue of biotechnology relevant in present and future scenarios
 analysed and evaluated information and data from a variety of valid and reliable sources on the biological issues of biotechnology
 Recognised alternatives and predictions that are relevant in biological issue of biotechnology
Which way is the best way to go?
 integrated the information and data to make justified and responsible decisions about biotechnology
 integrated the information and data to make supported decisions about biotechnology
 gathered information and data from a variety of sources to discuss a particular biological issues regarding biotechnology
 Recognised concepts that are relevant in biological issue of biotechnology
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 selected relevant information and data to make plausible decisions and predictions about biotechnology
 gathered and used biological information to make statements on a particular human impact
 phenomenon.
Recognised that biotechnology has biological implications
 made statements about biotechnology
 gather and use biological information to make statements on a particular human impact phenomenon.
 Make statements about biotechnology
 make statements about biotechnology

Recombinant DNA technology involves taking genes, or groups of genes, from one organism and putting them into another. Whereas previous methods of producing new genetic systems involved traditional breeding and selection and were therefore constrained to transferring genes between organisms that are phylogenetically closely related. Recombinant DNA technology developed over thirty years ago, is revolutionary, and usually involves transferring genes between genetically unrelated organisms. For example, the gene encoding an insecticide has been isolated from bacteria and transferred to a variety of crops. The expression of this gene in crops has lead to resistance of caterpillars and other pests.
The use of such a powerful technology is only possible when there is a very good understanding of the basic biological principles which underpin it. These principles are best summarised in the so-called Central Dogma of
Molecular Biology. Armed with the understanding of the “Central Dogma”, it is possible to see that the code in DNA therefore translates ultimately to a protein of biological function and that if we can read the DNA code, we can decipher what the gene product does and how we may utilize it, or understand its nature and the consequences of its action.
You will be given a DNA sequence and you will identify the protein coded in this sequence and explain what function that protein carries out. Your explanation should show the reader how you identified the protein and that you have investigated and understand its biology. You will then explain how an understanding of the function of this protein (or related proteins) and its production enables new technologies or understanding about its significance in relation to a range of biological, social and ethical issues.
For example: You would first identify the gene your DNA sequence codes for, explaining clearly how you did so, and then explain its biological function. Following on from this, you would examine some broader issues around the protein.
Investigation
Question
Sub Investigation Questions G.O.
What do I need to know? Make links with the background of what needs to be known and understood to be able to crack the genetic code.
UB
What does it code for? Apply knowledge and understanding to identify the code for a protein and explain how you determined what the protein is. Integrate the information and data to make a justified decision on the coding site for the assigned protein. Analyse and reveal the protein.
UB
How can you be sure?
Critically analyse your results with links to theoretical concepts to draw conclusions relating to the question. Propose improvements to the method that you used to crack the code.
IB
What could go wrong? Critically analyse what could go wrong with the code that you cracked. IB
What are the issues with Biotech and genetically modifying crops? Reveal and critically evaluate the issues involved with Biotechnology.
Which is best way to go?
Make a justifiable decision about the advantages and disadvantages of biotechnology.
EBI
EBI

11 different DNA SEQUENCES are provided which can be randomly assigned to students for their ERT.
DNA SEQUENCES ANSWERS provide results for each sequence. This document includes the amino acid chain and the resulting protein that each DNA sequence codes for.
Use the USING NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE DATABASES from class activity above to assist when using the computer database to find the open reading frames within a DNA sequence and proteins the sequences code for.