Extra-Credit Bioethics

       Many scientific studies show that if you are studying for a test, the most of the learning occurs while you're asleep because sleep is the time the brain uses for memory consolidation. This same concept was used when scientists implanted false memories into the brains of mice while they were asleep. These memories actually influenced the animal's behavior when it awoke. In order to trick the mice's brains, researches inserted electrodes that targeted two different parts of the brain: the medial forebrain bundle and the hippocampus. The medical forebrain bundle (MFB) is a significant part of our rewards system and the hippocampus serves as our memory and learning central. In the hippocampus there are place cells, which are essentially the GPS of our brains, and are known to "replay" our activity during sleep. Researchers identified these place cells by monitoring neuron activity while allowing the mice to explore new areas. Then, the scientists added the positive and negative factor to each place by giving them rewards in certain areas. After the creatures had fallen asleep, the neuroscientists paired the firing of a selective place cell with the simulation of the MFB. When the animals woke up, they displayed a strong preference for the areas which the electrodes made the mice remember positively. This concept of implanting and recording electrodes directly into an animals brains is an extremely intrusive procedure, making it unlikely that it will ever enter the world of human medicine. Even so, this technology has major benefits for people struggling with addiction, PTSD, or any other memory disorder. I think that the benefits outweigh the costs and that this memory technology could take us far in curing mental disorders. We would have to ensure that the use of this scientific discovery wouldn't get out of hand with people wiping each other's memories and inserting new ones, but as a society I think that we could be capable of keeping any memory procedures confidential. 

<http://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2015/mar/09/false-memories-implanted-into-the-brains-of-sleeping-mice>

Alford, Justine. "Scientists Implant False Memories Into Sleeping Mice."IFLScience. N.p., 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

Costandi, Mo. "False Memories Implanted Into the Brains of Sleeping Mice."The Guardian. N.p., 9 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

Noonan, David. "Meet the Two Scientists Who Implanted a False Memory Into a Mouse." Smithsonian. .
Smithsonian Magazine, Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

Unit 6 Reflection

In this unit we studied what biotechnology is and its purpose in our modern-day world. Some common themes included applications of biotechnology in the environmental, industrial, medical, agricultural, and diagnostic research fields. After many labs and vodcasts, we connected what we learned to actual scientific processes are used in different fields of study. We also confronted the issues of bioethics, recombined DNA, used enzymes in polymerase chain reactions, and used electricity in gel electrophoresis. I would definitely say that a weakness for me, in this unit, was relating the concepts I learned in my relate and reviews. I have never been previously exposed to any of these biotechnological concepts, making it challenging to both remember the information and relate it to things I have learned before. Practicing the gel electrophoresis lab online on a virtual lab the night before the classroom lab, was proven to be very successful for me. I found that when doing the lab the next day, I was familiar with the procedure and tools used, giving me an advantage.

This unit included recreating many of the biotech processes scientists' use in our very own classroom labs. We created models of recombinant DNA, experimented with gel electrophoresis, and transformed the DNA of bacteria to make them glow. From these experiences I now have a better understanding of things I encounter in my everyday life such as what it means when I go to the grocery store and see "non-GMO" labelled on food, or how they make lactose-free milk, or how the drugs my doctor prescribes for me are so effective. These are all results of altering the DNA or one or more organisms to benefit us as a society.

One section of biotechnology that we briefly covered in the technologies vodcast, was sequencing. I still wonder how we invented the technology to determine exact orders of DNA and how this process works. I also wonder how this process applies to other departments of science and every day life.

I have been very successful thus far in living out my new year's goals. One of my goals was to make a "to-do" list of everything I need to complete that night to make sure I get everything done in time and don't ever get behind on assignments or turn them in late. I have noticed that I gradually became lazier in being faithful to this daily task, and can improve on my consistency with my "to-do" list.

pGLO Lab

1.

Plate	Number of Colonies	Color of colonies under room light	Color of colonies under   UV light
- pGLO LB	carpet	yellowish-tan	Greenish-blue
- pGLO LB/amp	none	-	-
+ pGLO LB/amp	164	yellowish-tan	Greenish-blue
+ pGLO LB/amp/ara	59	yellowish-tan	Greenish-blue

2.  We added arabinose to our e-coli, giving them the ability of glow green under a UV light. The other trait we transformed our bacteria to have is ampicillin resistance.

3. In the 100 uL of bacteria we spread across each plate, there were only one or two colonies. The agar provided nutrients for that colony, causing the bacteria to spread, leaving us with at least 50 more in the positive pGLO petri dishes. 

4. The role arabinose played was activating the gene in the bacteria to glow. It released the active repressor, allowing the RNA polymerase to read the gene, causing the cell to be fluorescent.

5.  

• Fusion tagging: used to tag living things to monitor the positioning of proteins that don't glow 
• Transcription Reporter: placing it under the promoter of interest to effectively monitor gene expression
• Optogenetics: use of light to detect, measure, and control molecular signal in a cell

6. Genetic engineering is used in agriculture to create genetically-modified crops, or genetically-modified organisms. Scientists combine the DNA of one or more organisms for some specific genetic feature. For example, plants are often genetically modified to kill off pests and survive in different climates.

Candy Electrophoresis Lab

1. None of my experimental samples contained dyes that didn't match the four reference dyes. The blue reference dye matched up with the two blue samples as being the slowest, and therefore the longest, strands. The only difference between the blue samples and reference dyes is that the blue samples were slightly lighter in color than the reference. The orange, yellow, and red reference dyes matched up with each of the samples in the distance they traveled through the gel.

2. Citrus red 2 has the shortest structure of all the dyes, meaning, like the dyes in our experiment, it would move the quickest and the furthest. The yellow dye in our experiment migrated similarly to how citrus red 2 would migrate because they have similar length. Betanin is the longest, causing it to move the slowest of all the dyes, much like the blue dye in our lab. 

3. Food manufacturers probably do this to modify the appearance of the food to appeal to customers. 

5. The two factors that control the distance are the length and structure of the dye solutions. The smaller, thinner the strand, the faster and farther it migrates. The larger and longer the strand, the slower and less it migrates.

6. The electric current that runs through the gel helps move the dyes because DNA is negatively charged, causing it to be pulled toward the positive side.

7. With the varying structures of the dyes, each dye will move a different distance based on their size. If a group of molecules all have similar size, then they will arrive at approximately the same place along the gel. Therefore, they separate themselves into these groups of size based on how far they migrate during the electrophoresis.

8. I expect the molecules that are heavier to move slower than the lighter ones, because of their mass weighing them down, it hampers them from moving quicker. I think the DNA molecule weighing 600 would move the fastest, and 5000 would move the slowest. 

Thinking Like a Biotechnician

In order produce recombination DNA, you must find the restriction enzyme that matches up with both the human DNA sequence and the plasmid of bacteria DNA. Restriction enzymes are enzymes that cut the DNA sequence to attach the plasmid to the DNA. The restriction enzyme sequences Bam HI, Hpa II, and Xma appeared on our DNA sequence twice and our plamid once, making them all possible to use, however, we used Xma I because those sequences were located closest to the insulin gene. I would use the antibiotic tetracycine in our petri dish because our plasmid provided resistance to tetracycine. If our plamid actually resisted tetracycine than when placed in a dish of that antibiotic, it would not be affected. If I used an enzyme that cut the plasmid in two places then a section of the plasmid would get cut out, and it would break apart This process is important in everyday life because as a society we use it to easily double and triple our supply of products that are used in medicine, foods, and plants. By altering the DNA sequence we can create new variations of living organisms that benefit our needs. For example, some plants are genetically engineered to protect themselves against pests and be resistant to cold temperatures, strengthening our world-wide food supply. Another example of how is process is used is cloning, an ethical issue that faces much controversy in our modern-day world.

<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EcoRI_restriction_enzyme_recognition_site.svg>

My New Years Goals

This semester I will improve my long-term memory of the information I learn by breaking up my studying for exams. I will study for at least two nights before the test rather than just the night before. I am hoping that by doing this it will release stress the night before tests and help me remember the information better. This semester I will also focus on my time management. Before approaching my homework each night, I will create a "to-do" list or at least mentally review what order I should do my assignments that night. Instead of blindly going into my work by starting with some random assignment, I will make sure that I am getting the homework I need done by the next day first, before doing homework due later that week. I am hoping that by doing this I eliminate cramming late at night to complete homework.