Biology 7

Name:__________________

Genetics and Society

Ch. 16 Gene Therapy

Watch the following Ted Talk on Gene therapy and then answer the questions below in your own words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez560GnkSrE

2012 Ted Talk about using gene therapy to treat ALD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKsdl23aPdQ

2017 Ted talk about gene therapy and access to technology

1. Do these videos discuss examples of ex vivo or in vivo techniques? Use evidence from each video to justify your answer. *in vivo and ex vivo is discussed on slide 8 of the ch. 16 ppt

2. Using evidence from both videos, discuss four challenges of gene therapy.

3. Pick two of these challenges and propose potential suggestions to overcome two of these challenges so that gene therapy moves forward.

4. Why aren’t scientists concerned about replacing the defective gene in every cell in the body? For example, why are scientists only trying to get the corrected copy of the gene to treat ALD into stem cells? *Hint..think about what you know about gene expression

Ch. 18 DNA fingerprinting

Part 1: Read the article below and answer the questions below, in your own words.

PBS/NOVA: Forget Fingerprints: Law Enforcement DNA Databases Poised To Expand

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/dna-databases/

1. The Supreme Court ruled that it is constitutional to take DNA samples from people who have been arrested for serious crimes but not convicted.

True or False

Taking these DNA samples requires a search warrant.

True or False

2. How are the DNA samples used?

3. Provide two reasons why proponents favor taking DNA samples from those arrested and not just those convicted of a crime.

4. Why are some people concerned that most jurisdictions keep an individual’s DNA sample and not just the DNA fingerprint that is generated from the sample?

5. Provide two reasons why most labs keep samples indefinitely, even if someone is exonerated.

PART 2: DNA fingerprinting

Using the DNA fingerprint below, determine which suspect is most likely to have committed the crime. The gel below shows the DNA fingerprint of DNA from the victim, suspect 1, suspect 2 and the DNA fingerprint from DNA collected at the crime scene.

1. Why are more DNA bands present in the lane marked “crime scene?”

2. Which suspect is most likely to have committed the crime? Justify your answer.

Using the DNA fingerprint below, determine which set of parents are most likely the parents of the soldier. Remember that all of the bands from the solder must be represented by the potential parents.

Which set of parents are most likely the parents of the soldier? Justify your answer.

Genetics and Society

Ch. 19

CRISPR gene editing technology

Part 1. Watch the following Ted Talk from one of the discoverers of the CRISPR technology and answer the following questions.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_doudna_we_can_now_edit_our_dna_but_let_s_do_it_wisely#t-924845

5. What does CRISPR allow scientists to do?

6. What organism was being studied when CRISPR was discovered? What does it do for this organism?

7. Name two animals that have been genetically modified using this technology.

8. What does CRISPR actually do to the DNA molecule?

9. Using what you know about methods of gene therapy and gene delivery, why does the speaker feel that blood diseases will be the first type of diseases to benefit from this technology?

10. Discuss this difference between using this technology for therapeutic purposes use versus for human enhancement.

11. Why does the speaker call for a global pause on any clinical applications of the CRISPR technology?

Part 2. Read the following document which came from the International Forum on Human Gene Editing

· http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12032015a

12. What is the stipulation if early human embryos or germline cells undergo gene editing?

13. Gene editing can be done in somatic cells. Why is this allowed under current regulations?

14. This summit identifies six issues posed by germline editing. Pick one of the six that you feel is most important. Why is this issue most concerning to you?

15. Provide two reasons why this group is suggesting ongoing forums on the issue of human gene editing.

Genetics and Society

Ch. 19 GMOs

Ted Talk on Genetically modified crops

Click on the link below and answer the questions while watching this TedTalk

http://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_ronald_the_case_for_engineering_our_food

1. What is the profession of the speaker in this TedTalk? What is her husband’s profession?

2. What does she say is the common goal of both her and her husband?

3. Provide an example supporting her argument that genetic modification of food is not a new practice.

4. What crop does the speaker study?

5. In graduate school, she discovered the XA21 gene. What does it do?

6. What does the SUB1 gene do?

7. What is 80% of Hawaiian papaya genetically engineered to do?

8. Provide two reasons why the Bt spray pesticide does not work well to control insects on eggplant crops in Bangladesh. (this is the same Bt bacterial toxin discussed in your book)

9. The speaker says not to believe her that genetically modified (GM) food is safe. What does she use as the basis for her statement that GM food is safe?

10. While speaker of her fears about the strong opposition to GM foods, the speaker makes a statement that, ”The poorest people who most need the technology may be denied access due the vague fears and prejudices of those who have enough to eat.” Explain this statement.

11. How does the speaker address the concern that GM foods are being developed just to bring profit to seed companies?

12. In summary, provide two reasons why this speaker is a proponent of genetically modified crops.