M3 Lab I: Control of Gene Expression
Please read through the laboratory exercise and follow the directions. It is often helpful to look over the entire lab first before you begin. When you complete your laboratory report, submit it below.
Virtual Laboratory: Gene Expression
This laboratory experiment will allow you to see how signals result in changes in gene expression. Every cell in a human body has the same DNA in its nucleus; however, only a small portion of genes are active at any one time in each cell. It is the complex system of turning individual genes on and off that determines which genes are active and creating proteins needed for a specific purpose at a specific time for a specific cell.
Several chemical reactions can influence whether a gene is switched on or off. For example, genes may be switched on at times when proteins are depleted, and new proteins are needed. These activities occur in many locations throughout the body. Gene expression is regulated by activator and repressor proteins present in cells. The field of epigenetics involves heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve a change in DNA sequence. Oftentimes these signals come from the environment, from things like diet or stress. Two well studied epigenetic regulators are acetylation of the genome, which “turns on†gene expression, and methylation of the genome, which usually “turns off” gene expression. In this lab you will view epigenetic signals to see their effects on gene expression and protein synthesis.
Click on the following link, view the six-minute animation, and then answer the questions on the lab answer sheet. (It is a good idea to review the questions on the lab answer sheet before you view the animation to become familiar with the answers to look for as you watch.)
(Note: a separate answer sheet is required for submission. Download it, save it as a Rich Text File (.rtf), add your answers to the questions, save, and submit it in the designated area).
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Submission status
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