In this activity we took a trip back in time to use Frederick Sanger’s method of sequencing DNA. We sequenced four different peoples DNA, only one of which was normal, the rest had some type of disease. Below are pictures of my individual work and results.

The picture above is a picture of the sequences of each person ( Norm, Abby, Bob, and Carol). We decoded these sequences into categories of G,C,A, or T.

The picture above is a picture of every persons decoded sequences. Each part of the DNA sequence gives a combination of the three letters ( G,C,A, or T). Only Norms sequence is completely normal the rest are different from each other and different from Norm’s.

Above is the Codon usage table. Every three letters of a sequence is categorized into the codon usage table, which is a list of proteins. The proteins must be the same as Norms to be considered normal or healthy.

Purpose:

In this lab we attempted to extract DNA from a gram of wheat germ.

Procedure:

We started off the experiment by weighing out a gram of the wheat germ and placing it in a test tube. After that we would add 20 ml of tap water and stir constantly for 3 minutes. After three minutes we added 1 ml of detergent to the solution and gently stirred at the start of every new minute. After the 5 minutes we tilted the beaker at an angle and slowly poured 14 ml of alcohol to the solution. After that we put the test tube down and waited to record our results. 

Above was the first step (wheat germ and alcohol solution)

Above was immediately after the alcohol was poured into the solution.

Above was after we let the alcohol sit for awhile and we recorded our results.

After this step we were able to extract the DNA ( The stringy white stuff towards the top of the solution).

Reflection: The combination of solutions that we added to the wheat germ made the wheat germs DNA able to extract from itself to the point where we could remove it.

In this lab we demonstrated a model of a double helix piece of DNA with little pieces that we were provided. Below are some pictures of our end production.

In the model above the white pieces represent hydrogen bonds between the two sides. The yellow pieces represent sugar molecules. Then at the center of the helix at the bases of every hydrogen bond are red, green,silver, and black pieces.These pieces can stand for one of any four of the following; Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, and Cytosine. With these combined pieces it makes a double helix.

Below is a picture of our double helix combined with another groups double helix to make one long double helix (featuring Dax in the background).

Pedigrees are genetic background maps to determine wether or not certain traits, diseases,disorders, or other genes are transmitted through a variety of possibilities. Some transmissions could be dominant meaning the trait or gene is in every generation of the family. Others could be recessive meaning that the gene or trait skips generations then reappears in another generation down the line. Another transmission could be sex linked meaning that that gene or trait appears only in men and then their sons.

Below are some examples of pedigrees, one of which is a pedigree of my family, the other two are a couple who go to see a genetic counselor with hopes to have a child.

This first example of a pedigree is my family pedigree tracing the ability to taste a certain test strip of paper with a protein in your taste buds. My mother had the trait as did all of her kids. I later tested my uncles and they both had the trait as did my maternal grandmother. Therefore the trait appeared to be dominant.

This is the couples parts of the project. The couple went to a genetic counselor and had pedigrees with known information about their previous family members. In both Greg and Olga’s families traces of hemophilia are seen. However only in Greg’s family there are traces of myotonic dystrophy.

Greg’s Pedigree: Greg has a brother and a sister. His brother has hemophilia but, Greg and his sister do not. Greg’s brother contracted the disease from his mother who had a good x and a bad x. It was a 50-50 chance that Greg and his brother would contract the disease, however only Greg’s brother caught it. As for the myotonic dystrophy, that disease is dominant because it appeared in the maternal generation before Greg and again in that generations mother.

Olga’s Pedigree: Olga has two brothers one of which had contracted hemophilia from his mother, with it being a sex linked disease there was a 50- 50 chance that  any of the three kids got the disease. There is the chance that Olga could be a carrier by receiving a good x from her mother, however in the case that Olga is like her mother and has both a good and bad x, Olga could give her bad x to her child and he/ she may have hemophilia.

In conclusion had Olga and Greg had kids since there is sex linked traces of hemophilia in the generations above Olga there is a 50-50 chance that Olga could give a bad x copy to any of the kids that they have, especially in a male.