Discussion - Genetics in the news

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Today we met outdoors since we had such a nice weather, and got involved in a series of group discussions.

Students were asked to search for genetics-related news released in the last two months, and select a few that were of interest to them. Groups of 4-5 students met during 20 minutes to discuss their various articles and choose one that they wanted to share with the class at large, because of its relevance to the class or to every day life.

Then, during half hour, the whole class met and different groups brought their chosen topics to the attention of their classmates. We had discussions on such topics under the enjoyable Ohio spring sun.

Topics were mostly related to molecular genetics, ranging from epigenetics and autism, to a putative correlation between the strength of the immune system in women and their success in relationships, to the evolution of a photosynthetic slug.

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Lecture, chapter 11 - Mutation

Today we started the chapter on mutation, the source of genetic variation.

Our focus in this chapter will be on how mutations are detected and how they happen.

We discussed traditional methods to pinpoint the individual in which a mutation that affects the phenotype appears. These methods apply to mutations that produce a dominant allele of a trait controlled by one fully penetrant and expressed gene.

We also discussed how mutation rate has been traditionally estimated in humans, and then we mentioned the factors that can affect the mutation rate across genes.

NOTE:

On Friday students are to bring a printout of a genetics-related news article (from a news paper, magazine, podcast, etc.) and be ready to discuss it with the instructor and classmates. Small discussion groups will meet and then the most relevant articles will be discussed in a general forum.

(if at least 17 different topics are submitted 5 bonus points will be awarded to all students who bring an article and are involved in the discussions)

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Lab 7 - Human gene mapping

Today we discussed the importance of applying principles of gene mapping to calculating the risk of a person inheriting an allele responsible for a genetic disorder, by observing the inheritance of a marker gene (i.e. a closely linked gene with an easily observable phenotype).

Three pedigrees were analyzed, to determine the genotypes of all of the portrayed individuals and if they were parental types or recombinant types. Once this information was available the odds ratio is calculated as an estimate of how closely linked the genes are.

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Lecture, chapter 11 - From proteins to phenotypes

Today we finished the chapter in which we explained at a basic level how proteins, direct products of genes, do reflect in an individual's phenotype.

We talked about how transport proteins can be altered by mutations and have an impact, from mild to lethal, in the individual's phenotype. Our example was hemoglobin. A number of mutations can alter the genes that encode the globins (subunits of hemoglobin), producing a disease categorized as a hemoglobin variant, or could alter the genes that encode proteins that control the transcription of globin genes, producing a disease categorized as a thalassemia.

In either case the consequence of the mutation, if it is noticeable, will be anemia.

We also introduced the basic idea of the field of biochemical genetics, more specifically in the subfields of pharmacogenetics and ecogenetics. Such subfields study our phenotypes in terms of how we react to chemicals: Within our bodies (pharmacogenetics), and in the environment (ecogenetics). Active research is being conducted in such areas.

An important aspect is how the way we taste food can have an impact in health problems such as obesity (pharmacogenetics). Another important topic is how we react to chemicals used in agriculture, such as pesticides, or used in manufacturing (an example would be the effects of led used in baby toys manufactured in China)

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Lecture, chapter 10 - From proteins to phenotypes

Friday, April 16, 2010

Today we discussed translation, and how mutations can have an effect in the phenotype when altering enzymes, transport proteins, and receptor proteins.

Then we discussed the effects of genotypes on how an individual reacts to chemicals, which is the scope of pharmacogenetics, and how an individual reacts to chemicals in the environment, the scope of ecogenetics.

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