Category: Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS)

Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 2: Genes and Growth (MS), Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 1: Evolution Evidence (HS), NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 2: Taxonomy (MS), NSE 3: Embryology (MS), S&F 1: Cells (MS), S&F 1: DNA to Proteins (HS), Structure and Function

Cas4-like Protein in Giant Viruses

GwynneL.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2018.04.001 SUMMARY: Mimiviruses are giant viruses that co-evolved with eukaryotic hosts and virophages. Virophages are tiny viruses that hijack the viral factories giant viruses set up inside the host. Just as the eukaryotic host and virophages have evolved a sort of symbiotic relationship to defend against giant virus attacks, giant viruses have also evolved a… Continue reading Cas4-like Protein in Giant Viruses

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 1: Behavior and Reproduction (MS), Inheritance 2: Genes and Growth (MS), Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, IR 1: Ecosystem Interactions (MS), IR 3: Ecosystem Stability (HS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 1: Evolution Evidence (HS), NSE 2: Evolution Factors (HS), NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 4: Fitness (MS), NSE 5: Natural Selection (MS), NSE 5: Population Flux (HS), S&F 1: Cells (MS), S&F 1: DNA to Proteins (HS), S&F 2: Cell Function (MS), Structure and Function

Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages

GwynneL.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00527 SUMMARY: In 2003, scientists discovered that giant viruses infected amoebas. These giant viruses are so big that they were mistaken for bacteria for the longest time. It wasn’t until scientists realized they contained no ribosomal DNA that these organisms were reclassified as viruses. From there, even more giant viruses were discovered. Some of the… Continue reading Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 4: Asexual/Sexual (MS), Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, Non-NGSS Articles, NSE 3: Trait Selection (HS), NSE 4: Adaption (HS), NSE 4: Fitness (MS), S&F 1: DNA to Proteins (HS), S&F 2: Cell Function (MS), Structure and Function

Anhydrobiosis without trehalose in bdelloid rotifers

GwynneL.

Anhydrobiosis without trehalose in bdelloid rotifers SUMMARY: There are many types of organisms that can dry out, rehydrate, and then go about their lives with no problems. Many of the larger ones use trehalose or sucrose as an antifreeze. Bdelloid rotifers (tiny microscopic animals) do not. This study looked at the carbohydrate content in desiccated… Continue reading Anhydrobiosis without trehalose in bdelloid rotifers

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 2: Taxonomy (MS)

Genetic diversity of Entamoeba in cockroaches

GwynneL.

Genetic diversity of Entamoeba: Novel ribosomal lineages from cockroaches SUMMARY: Researchers in this study looked at the diversity of Entamoeba in 3 different species of cockroaches (the American roach, the Dubia roach, and the Madagascar hissing roach) by looking at SSU rDNA in the ground up intestines of the cockroaches. They found that the Entamoebas… Continue reading Genetic diversity of Entamoeba in cockroaches

Inheritance & Variation of Traits, Inheritance 1: Behavior and Reproduction (MS), Inheritance 2: Genes and Growth (MS), Inheritance 2: Role of DNA (HS), Inheritance 4: Asexual/Sexual (MS), Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS), Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Life Science

Sexual reproduction in parasitic protists

GwynneL.

Sexual reproduction and genetic exchange in parasitic protists SUMMARY: Sexual reproduction is often murky in parasites because it’s difficult to observe. There are two other ways to determine if an organism has sex: differences in genomes and genes for meiosis. However, in parasites, there are exceptions to this rule in that some organisms may have… Continue reading Sexual reproduction in parasitic protists

Inheritance 5: DNA Technology (MS), Life Science, Natural Selection & Evolution, NSE 2: Taxonomy (MS)

Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates

GwynneL.

Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates SUMMARY: This is an article comparing the structural and genomic differences between ciliates and flagellates. Dinoflagellates seem to be the ancestors of ciliates based on similarities in various cell structures and rRNA sequencing. Structures compared in this article include: mitochondria, mechanisms of cilia and flagella, nucleus, and how… Continue reading Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates