DNA & Central Dogma
A scientist wants a cell to produce a new protein. This molecule must contain the instructions that are introduced into the cell.
What is DNA?
A scientist wants to transfer exactly 25 µL of DNA solution. This is the instrument that they use.
What is a micropipette?
This is a device an iGEM team creates that detects a disease marker and gives a fluorescent signal.
What is a biosensor?
A protein's amino acid sequence is also known as this structure.
What is primary structure?
RNA interference reduces protein production by targeting this molecule.
What is mRNA?
During transcription, one DNA strand has the sequence TAC-GGA-CTA. This is the mRNA sequence produced.
What is AUG-CCU-GAU?
In gel electrophoresis, DNA moves down the gel because DNA has this type of charge.
What is a negative charge?
A team uses computer simulations to predict how a genetic circuit will behave before building it. This is an example of this iGEM area.
What is software/modeling?
A protein engineer wants to create a new fluorescent protein. They find that Protein A shares 99% of its amino acid sequence with a known green fluorescent protein. This is why Protein A would be a good candidate to test.
What is its similar sequence suggests it may have a similar structure and function?
A student predicts that the cafeteria table will have more bacteria than a cleaned desk. The statement is an example of this.
What is a hypothesis?
During translation, ribosomes read this molecule to determine the order of amino acids in a protein.
What is mRNA?
A PCR reaction contains DNA template, primers, nucleotides, and this enzyme that builds new DNA strands.
What is DNA polymerase?
This is a reason synthetic biologists might test a design on a computer before performing a wet lab experiment.
What is to predict outcomes, optimize designs, and reduce time/cost of experiments?
A single amino acid change causes GFP to glow a different color. This is why one small change could have such a large effect.
What is the amino acid change can alter protein folding or the environment around the fluorescent molecule?
Scientists create a model showing how a virus spreads through a bee hive. This is the advantage of using a model.
What is they can test predictions and explore outcomes without needing to perform every real-world experiment?
These are the two steps of central dogma.
What are transcription and translation?
A student gets inconsistent micropipetting results. They used the correct volume but did not change pipette tips between samples. This is the problem that occured.
What is contamination?
A patient is deciding whether to participate in a gene therapy trial. Researchers provide all the information about the risks and benefits and allow the patient to make their own informed decision. This is the bioethical principle being followed.
What is autonomy?
Scientists use AlphaFold to predict this property of proteins.
What is three-dimensional structure/folding?
An RNAi experiment shows that worms with a gene turned off develop differently than normal worms. This demonstrates what about genes?
What is genes contain instructions that influence traits through their effects on proteins and biological processes?
This is a set of three nucleotides that code for a specific amino acid.
What is a codon?
A DNA sample produces one large band near the top of a gel instead of many smaller bands. This is the reason.
What is the fragments are larger and traveled less through the gel?
A researcher designs bacteria that produce a useful molecule but wants the bacteria to stop functioning outside the lab. This is a type of safety feature they might engineer.
What is a biological containment mechanism/safety switch (kill switch)?
A protein engineer wants to prevent an enzyme from binding to its substrate. This is the region of the protein they would try to change.
What is the active site?
A scientist has a sample containing too many bacteria to count. This is the technique they could use to create measurable concentrations of bacteria.
What is a serial dilution?