DNA Sequencing

 

In this experiment we used the Sanger Method of sequencing DNA. Or in other words the older version of sequencing DNA, considering that since this time we have advanced in technology and sequencing DNA has become easier and faster to be done. In the Sanger Method the letters are written down in threes in the order that they occur in the sequence. The groups of threes are placed and separated, then the selection of the protein begins that corresponds with the groups pattern. Abby was the first patient and she had only one letter difference, thus meaning she had a point mutation or a single base change. Bob was the next patient, he also had one difference in his DNA sequence. However with the type of protein sequence he acquired his sequence stopped short which lead to him having a truncation mutation. The last patient was Carol she had the most DNA sequencing differences from the normal sequence. Carol  had a frameshift mutation. A frameshift mutation is where there is a gain or loss of a letter that throws the rest of the sequence off from its normal pattern. So although we all have DNA and it has its own sequencing pattern there are plenty of mutations that can occur and cause the sequence to mess up or end overall.







  That is how you read a sequence and the three things that can go wron

Eugenics! The History of it ALL!!!

EUGENICS! THE HISTORY OF IT ALL!

    Eugenics, who really knows what it is exactly? Well according to dictionary.com, it is the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, especially by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits or encouraging reproduction by persons presumed to have inheritable desirable traits. However in my own words I would have to say that eugenics to me is basically having good and bad traits. The traits could possible vary from a disease to having a prominent facial feature. Eugenics is the way in which this all is analyzed and processed to better the human species.
    So throughout this 3rd quarter we have been working around the idea of eugenics. Although now in the twenty first century we have all learned to except each other for the most part. It's weird to think back to the times where people were sterilized because of a certain defect they could possibly obtain from either parent's chromosome. In my own opinion this seems a little obsessive and I'm sure there could have been better ways of taking care of genetic disorders. After all you must consider that there is always the possibility that the gene may not be passed on, depending on there inheritance pattern. This is the point in which autosomal recessive and dominant patterns along with sex linked patterns come into play. Each of these patterns contain their own characteristics. (For more Details, please visit my Inheritance Patterns Blog)
     Back in the twentieth century eugenicists even believed that traits such as alcoholism or even thievery could be passed down genetically. Their initial thought was that if a parent was an alcoholic, then their child stood a good chance of inheriting this trait. Although many children take after their parents it is not through genetics that these social traits can be passed down. Sure, there is a chance that the child could be an alcoholic as well, but I would believe that if they were raised in that environment than they would think it was right unless taught and shown differently. It has even been said that eugenicists thought if by two alcoholics not having kids that this problem would be solved so they would not bare an alcoholic child. But hey, i guess that plays into the whole Nature vs. Nurture aspect. The aspect being that nature is genetic material as nurture is what they were taught.
    I suppose, the past is the past and no one can change the unfairness that so many people were faced with, but I have to agree that it is definitely a good thing that are scientific discoveries have advanced as much as they have in the last century. Now there is no more segregation of defects or diseases, It's strange to think now that at one point in time eugenicists tried to separate their ideas of the good and bad genes of eugenics. I mean taking out the bad to let the good thrive, we're a civilized country and all these aspects should be recognized. Eugenics cannot determine who is good and bad, it just determines the possibilities and analyzes them to the best of its abilities.
     Moving on, here is some more historical information about eugenics. Just after the Civil War, immigrants began coming to America, during the reconstruction period. At this time there was an unknown reason for a decline in birth rates of higher ranked families, where as lower ranked families birth rates began to increase drastically. Along with that social Darwinism began to rise. Social Darwinism is basically the method of "survival of the fittest." And of course the more well of people were believed to be the fittest during this time period. This is the point in time where it was believed that sterilization was a necessity. It was believed that the sterilization of the poor would better the survival of our race. But little did they know, the elites were not much different from the poor. Most of eugenicists work was done from IQ tests and behavioral tests that included criminal activity and social standings. With this research came the testing off 700 degenerates, done by Richard Dugdale. Dugdale assumed that this degeneration was due to the fact that environments were poor, however when these lower class families were mixed with the upper class, the genes were still passed on. Although this experiment suggested that lower class families were not the inhabitants of this disorder, it was completely ignored as restrictions on marriage increased to keep the rankings or people separate. Many families were poorly labeled and stuck into homes for the mentally disabled and other things of the sort. Although many of the children at this time, made it through these struggles they proved eugenicists wrong about so many ideas. Take Carrie Buck for instance, she was separated from her family and put into a home for the "feeble minded." She as many others knew that she didn't belong there and she was far from feeble minded. She grew up and later showed much progress that put the eugenicists to shame as did others.
     However, it was later decided that eugenicists did not have enough information to validate these accusations they were making. Which thankfully saved many from being killed off as others before them were. The justification of this has ever since been very valuable, after all, passing judgement on someone with a defect is far from humane, and definitely not a believable cause for someone to die over. So there you have it! My overall aspect of the history of eugenics! All I can say is, I'm so glad science has matured so much in the last century. Who knows, it could have saved both yours, and my life! =)

Link #1 Link #2 Link #3

Inheritance Patterns

Ingeritance of diseases can be passed in three major ways:

1.) Autosomal Dominant

2.) Autosomal Recessive

3.) Sex-Linked

Autosomal Dominant Inheritence Pattern

     Autosomal dominant is one of the ways that traits and or disorders can be passed down through generations in families. When a disease is autosomal dominant it means that the abnormal gene can be passed from only one parent for you to be able to inherit the disease. Usually, only one of the parents has the disease. A single abnormal gene on one of the first 22 non-sex chromosomes from either parent can cause an autosomal disorder. Dominant inheritance means that one parent is able of causing the disease, even if the matching gene from the other parent is normal. The abnormal gene dominates the pair causing the gene to be apparent. There is only a 50% chance of inheriting the disorder if only one parent has a dominant gene defect. This type of disease is dominant in each generation, meaning each generation possesses the disorder and it becomes likely that they too will pass it on to their children. Autosomal Dominant diseases occur in both sexes.
Examples
-Huntington's Disease
-Neurofibromatosis Type 1
-Marfan Syndrome
-Heredity Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer
-Hereditary Multiple Exostoses
-Otosclerosis
-MODY Diabetes

Autosomal Recessive Inheritance Pattern
     Autosomal Recessive is another way in which disorders may be passed through generations in a family. However in recessive cases the disease or disorder tends to skip generations. Therefor many of the female attributes could possibly be carriers of the disease. Autosomal Recessive diseases occur when two copies of an abnormal disease occur. If both parents are heterozygous, their child has a 25% chance of obtaining the disease. In most cases it is rare that the child gets both of these genes. The risk of getting an autosomal recessive disease isn't a high risk unless a child is reproduced within a single family.
Examples:
-Alport syndrome,
-Canavan disease
-Congenital neutropenia
-Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
-Ellis-van Creveld syndrome
-Familial Mediterranean fever
-Fanconi anemia,
-Gaucher disease
-Mucopolysaccharidosis
-Osteogenesis imperfecta
-Cystic Fibrosis

Sex linked inherrited patterns are also know as X-Linked patterns.
     In the diagram up above it is most likely that the diseased gene was passed from the grandpa to the mother and then from their to the mother's son.
Sex Linked
     In the picture up above it is apparent that the pattern is X linked. The chromosomes of a male are XY whereas a female is XX, this leads to the fact that males have the ability to inherit a disease from their mothers. Most females do not inherit an X linked disease, it is most likely for a male to obtain the disease instead. The disease occupies the X chromosome and in all cases the mother provides their son with an X chromosome therefor giving their son the disease as for the fact that they only have X chromosomes to give.
Examples:
-Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

-Duchene Muscular Dystrophy
-Hunter’s Disease
-Menkes Disease
-Hemophilia A and B
-Fabry’s Disease
-Color Blindness
-Complete Androgen Insensitivity
Link #1 Link #2 Link #3

DNA Extraction!!!!

Words to KNOW! =)

Flash CARDS!!! =)

In Sickness & In Health

In Sickness & In Health
Greg's Family Pedigree
In Greg's family pedigree each generation has one of the two diseases. And in some cases more then one person in that generation has the disease. Myotonic Dystrophy is more dominant in Greg's family then Hemophilia. Although hemophilia is a more dominant gene over the recessive myotonic dystrophy.

Olga's Family Pedigree
However, in Olga's family pedigree myotonic dystrophy never occurs, but hemophilia is very dominant throughout the generations in her family. Which could possibly result in Greg and her's children being positive for Hemophilia.

Greg and Olga, are a couple that went to a genetic counselor. The couple wanted to conceive children, but were afraid to because they had the Factor VIII deficiency, or Hemophillia in there heritage. Both Greg and Olga were terrified that their children could possibly be born with a genetic disease. Both sides of their families carried the disease and it seemed obvious to the couple that no matter what, their children could inhabit this disease.

Dominant Diseases
Although we had been studying genetic deficiencies, this post thanks to the website as well, taugh me alot about genetic diseases. I learned that autosomal recessive diseases skip generations, while autosomal dominant disease don't skip generations. Autosomal recessive diseases are when one mutated allele and one normal gene come together and form. There's a 50% chance of the disease being transmitted. Even if the disease isn't dominant, every child infected will be carriers. In all cases its either the father or the mother who is carrying the disease that has been transmitted.  


Recessive Diseases
Recessive diseases are never inherited directly because recessive diseases are only inherited by the y chromosome. Sex linked genes, can be displayed in men, but not in women, they can only be carriers for the disease. In Greg and Olga's case they both could be a carrier  of the disease, due to the fact that multiple people in their families have the disease. Greg has a higher rate of being a carrier, which can result in him passing this gene onto his sons. However his possible daughters would only become carriers. His daughters could become carriers and easily pass it on to their possible children in the next generation. Genetics is constantly changing, from the smallest ideas to the big picture, but one thing is for certain the advancements made in the future will be those worth remembering!