Name: _________________________
Date: ____________
Biotechnology Unit
You will be accessing a variety of interactive websites in order to explore different ways
that scientists’ knowledge of DNA and how it works has allowed them to develop
laboratory techniques to enhance our understanding of diseases and potential
cures/treatments.
For each topic, access the link given, complete the activities, and answer the questions
in the packet.
Due May 11 (Per. 1, 3, 7)
Due May 12 (Per. 2, 6)
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A. Recombinant DNA
Directions: Read the paragraph below and then use the website to answer the following questions.
Recombinant DNA is DNA taken from two different organisms and combined together.
Organisms with recombinant DNA are called Genetically Modified Organisms or transgenic organisms.
Scientists are using this method to genetically engineering plants. Genes for pest resistance have been
inserted into plants like cotton, and corn to increase crop yield. Recombinant DNA can also be utilized to
help people with diseases, for example people with diabetes. In this activity, you will read how scientists
do this.
Part 1: Use the link to answer the following questions.
http://www.iptv.org/exploremore/ge/what/insulin.cfm
1. What are the seven steps involved in combining DNA from two organisms? Be sure to read each step
carefully.
1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________________
6. ____________________________________________________________________________
7. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. What two organisms’ DNA have been combined? _____________________ and _________________
3. What is the purpose of combining these two organisms’ DNA?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. How do people with diabetes benefit from recombinant DNA?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Part 2: Use the link to answer the following questions.
http://www.scq.ubc.ca/genetically-modified-foods/
1. Give three examples of how organisms can be “enhanced” with genetic modifications.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Go to the part of the article with the title “The ethics of GM Foods”. Fill in the table based on the
information in the article.
Advantages of GMOs
Disadvantages of GMOs
3. What do you think? Do you think we should continue using plants and animals that have been
genetically modified? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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B. Stem Cells
Go to the following website for this activity:
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/
PART 1. Click on “The Nature of Stem Cells” to learn about the important roles stem cells play
from embryonic development through adulthood.
Click on the arrow tabs to navigate through this narrated slideshow. Make sure your volume is
“on” to hear the narration, but you can also click on the “CC” button to have the text shown on
screen.
1. Specialized cells that carry out specific functions are called __________________ cells. In
contrast, a stem cell’s role in the body is not yet determined (it can give rise to multiple cell
types, including other stem cells), so it is considered _____________________.
2. The important roles of stem cells begin during our ________________ development and
continue through ___________________.
3. At fertilization, a special kind of stem cell (in this case, a fertilized egg or zygote) is formed
which has the potential to grown into a new ________________ ______________ as well as
the ______________ which nourishes the embryo.
4. All cells remain ___________________ during the first few cell divisions in the newly-formed
embryo and each one has the same potential as the fertilized egg. As development continues,
the process of differentiation begins, in which instructions or signals gradually _____________
each cell’s potential.
5. One week after fertilization, the embryo is called a ___________________ and looks like a
lopsided hollow ball. The cells around the outside will form the _____________. The inner cell
mass will form all the cells of the _____________.
6. Two weeks after fertilization, we can see the organization of the embryonic cells into
________ distinct cell layers as the potential of these cells is limited even further. Different sets
of cell types will result from each of the three layers.
7. The ectoderm (outer layer) will form the:
The mesoderm (middle layer) will form the:
The endoderm (inner layer) will form the:
__.
__.
______________.
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8. Cells will further differentiate as development continues, leading to approximately _______
different cell types found in the body. However, even adults still have some stem cells – these
are known as adult or ________________ stem cells and they are important for growth,
maintenance and repair.
9. Some stem cells divide only when they receive a specific signal to direct them to do so;
others work constantly to ______________ cells that are lost on a daily basis.
10. Somatic (adult) stem cells are different than embryonic stem cells because, under natural
conditions:
_____.
11. _________ _______________ is special in that it contains massive amounts of stem cells.
However, most somatic stem cells in other tissue of the body are found sitting amongst large
numbers of ________________ cells.
12. Name at least 4 other types of tissues in the human body which have been found to contain
somatic stem cells:
_____.
13. Stem cells give rise to all of our differentiated ____________ and ____________ as we
grow from fertilized eggs into fully formed human beings. Even into adulthood, stem cells help
us to ___________ and maintain our bodies.
PART 2. Return to the STEM CELLS page and click on “Unlocking Stem Cell Potential” to learn
about new medical uses for stem cells.
1. The process of regeneration relies on stem cells and is common in many animals. Give one
example of regeneration:
_____.
2. Explain why regeneration in humans is described as “limited”.
_____.
3. _________________ medicine is a new field of medicine involving the use of stem cells to
heal damaged tissue that cannot repair itself.
4. It can be difficult to isolate and grow stem cells from our tissues once we are past the
embryonic stages. Scientists are trying to find ways to ________________ the cells while they
are still in the body to coax them to surpass their natural healing abilities.
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5. ____________________ drugs stimulate the growth of neurons in the brain. Scientists
would like to develop new drugs that can do activate the healing abilities of stem cells in other
types of damaged tissues.
6. Another approach involves giving patients transplants of stem cells that were grown in a
_________.
7. Scientists are developing new ways to use somatic stem cells as they build on technology
used in bone marrow transplants. Other treatments may instead utilize _____________ stem
cells or _______________ pluripotent stem cells, both of which can develop into any type of
cell in the body.
8. Scientists can grow hES and IPS indefinitely in culture and give them certain
_________________ molecules which can cause them to differentiate into cells of different
types which may someday be used for transplants in order to grow new, healthy tissue.
9. Give an example of the technique described in #8 above:
_____.
10. Summarize the successful use of stem cell transplant in treating mouse spinal cord injuries.
_____.
11. Scientists are using what they have learned by making _______________ mice to develop
a new kind of gene therapy.
12. Doctors create _____________________________ (IPS) from cells from a patient with a
genetic disorder. Then, a copy of the functional gene is put into the cells in place of the
defective gene. After the cells are differentiated into the proper cell type they can be put back
into the patient.
13. The technique described in #12 above to successfully cure ___________________________
in mice.
14. Stem cells are helping us learn more about ________________. Like stem cells, cancer cells
grow rapidly and remain undifferentiated. Some tumors may in fact be stem cells growing out
of control. Learning about the regulation of growth and differentiation of stem cells may help
with the development of new medications to fight cancer.
15. The possibilities for stem cells seem ______________________, but we are discovering the
actual potential and limitations of these techniques as more research is carried out.
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PART 3. Return to the STEM CELLS page and click on “The Stem Cell Debate: Is it Over?” to
read about ethical concerns regarding research and use of stem cells.
List 2 concerns that cause people to debate the use of stem cells.
a)
b)
If time permits, check out “Go, Go Stem Cells” for engaging animations of stem cells at work.
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C. Cloning
Directions:
1) Use the Internet to visit the following home page of this website:
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cloning/
2) Answer the following questions about cloning. Look for additional directions in bold type.
I. Select: “WHAT IS CLONING”
1) Define cloning:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2) TRUE OR FALSE? (T/F)
______ a) Dolly the sheep was the first organism to be cloned by scientists.
______ b) A somatic cell is the same as a reproductive cell.
3) What do we call naturally created clones in the human population? ___________________________
4) Name the two processes that can be used by scientists to make an exact genetic copy of an organism.
a) _______________________________________________________
b) _______________________________________________________
5) Observe the videos on natural and artificial twinning. What is the main difference between the two
processes?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6) In 1997, a scientific laboratory in Edinborough, Scotland cloned Dolly the sheep by the process called
SCNT. Complete this sentence: “[Dolly] was the first-ever...”:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
7) In SCNT, the nuclear material from the somatic donor cell is removed and placed in a donor egg cell.
Check out “See the real thing!” (on the right hand side of your screen) and observe the removal of the
nuclear material and the placement in a donor egg cell.
What is the term for removing the nuclear material? ___________________________
What is the term for moving it to the donor cell? ______________________________
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Scroll down to “How Does SCNT Differ from the Natural Way of Making an Embryo?”
8) Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) differs from natural reproduction in several ways.
List two ways in which SCNT is different from natural reproduction.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9) Check out the right sidebar: How does cloning an organism differ from cloning a gene?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
II. Scroll back to the top of the page.
Select: “Cloning”
Select: “Click and Clone”
10) Answer the following questions as you clone Mimi:
A. Why is Medgo the mouse needed?
B. Why is Momi the mouse needed?
C. What type of cell is taken from Mimi?
D. What is done to the egg cell using the sharp pipette?
E. What is this process (number 4) called?
F. After the nucleus is removed from the somatic cell, what is done with it?
G. After the new cell is reprogrammed, and cell division has begun, what is done with the resulting
embryo?
H. What color is the resulting clone, Mini Mimi?
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11) Who is “Cumulina?” Explain!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
III. Scroll back to the top of the page.
Select: “Cloning”
Select: “Why Clone” (on the right hand side)
12) List 3 ways that cloning could benefit medicine.
a) _________________________________________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________________________________________
13) What is the current status in cloning to save endangered species?
_________________________________ ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
14) Is it likely that we will be able to clone a dinosaur? Why not?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
IV. Scroll back to the top of the page.
Select: “Cloning”
Select: “Cloning Myths”
16) A myth is an inaccurate idea that people believe. Describe one myth about cloning and why it is not
true.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
V. Scroll back to the top of the page.
Select: “Cloning” (as you did in Part I).
Select: “Is it Cloning or Not?”
What was your score the first time you played the game? __________
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D. Gel Electrophoresis
Use the link below to explore the process of gel electrophoresis. Read CAREFULLY from the yellow box
for information as you work your way through.
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/labs/gel/
Answer the following questions:
1. What is in the tube that is being held? ________________________________________
2. How do scientists sort and measure DNA strands?
3. The gel itself is made out of a substance like _____________.
4. What makes the DNA move through the gel?
5. Why do different pieces of DNA move different distances through the gel?
6. If DNA is so small, how can we see “bands” of it on a stained gel?
7. The gel itself is made of what two ingredients?
8. What was the comb used for when making the gel?
9. Why is the loading buffer needed?
10. Why do you need the DNA size standard?
11. DNA has a ____________________ charge so it will move toward the _________________
charged end of the gel when the electrical charge is running.
12. How will ethidium bromide help us see DNA?
13. What type of light is used to make the stained DNA glow?
14. Write the estimated size of the three DNA bands in order below:
________ bp
________ bp
________ bp
15. What does “bp” stand for?
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E. DNA Fingerprinting: Virtual Crime Lab- Identify the Culprit
Access the Create a DNA Fingerprint website (crime lab) with the link below:
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/asset/tdc02_int_creatednafp2/
Click on “View”
READ all of the information carefully, clicking NEXT to go through each screen.
Answer the questions below.
1. What was the crime?
2. What substance is left behind on a lollipop that contains DNA?
3. List the steps for running a DNA fingerprint gel below:
4. Why is a nylon membrane needed?
5. What do the “probes” do?
6. How will you know who the culprit is?
7. Who is the culprit?
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