DNA Translation

DNA Translation

DNA Translation is the second step in ribosomal protein production. This step is continued from Transcription(see DNA Transcription Blog Post for more), which is the process of transcripting or making a DNA strand's mRNA counterpart. This process will take that mRNA and use it to set up the synthesis of proteins.

Materials

mRNA strand

Codon chart

Codons

Codons are basically segments of the transcripted DNA. Usually, three bases make up one codon and each codon is coded for a specific protein that a tRNA(transfer ribonucleic acid) is carrying. Examples will be shown during the process.

Process

1. Take the mRNA strand from the previous process of Transcription and then break up into codons of three, starting with the first AUG set you see.
Ex: AUGGGCUAUAGCC --> AUG GGC UAU AGC
2. Use codon chart to translate the codons into the respective amino acids
Ex: AUG-Meth GGC-Gly UAU-Tyro AGC-Ser
3. Always finish translating when you come across UAA or UAG as they code for stop.

Reflection

This topic was very interesting and fun for me personally, as I like puzzles and this seemed to be one of the many puzzles experienced in biology. While the skills practiced with this process may be helpful in other handy situations, the actual process can't help in anything outside of biology.

Replication

Replication

Key Points:

-  copying DNA
- takes place during cell reproduction
- copies chromosomes
- hydrogen bonds are broken
- a new (replica) DNA strand is pulled together with an original
- where the DNA splits is known as a fork
- Adenine pairs with Thymine
- Cytosine pairs with Guanine
- Guanine pairs with Cytosine
- Thymine pairs with Adenine

In Depth: 

First, the double helix DNA strand is flattened out. Then a strand of DNA is split. An enzyme, Helices, unzips the DNA strand and breaks the hydrogen bonds. Free roaming nucleotides that are floating around attach to the DNA strand. An enzyme, polymerase, pulls the nucleotides to the DNA strand. This creates 2 identical strands. The strands are half new and half original.

Citations:
"DNA Structure And Replication: Crash Course Biology #10". YouTube. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 May 2017.

Wosnick, Dr. "Of Spelling Mistakes And Cancers… - Cancer Research 101". Cancer Research 101. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 May 2017.

Acid Rain

                                             Acid Rain 

What is it? Acid Rain is rainfall that made sufficiently acidic atmospheric pollution that causes environmental harm. This usually happens to forests and lakes. 

What causes it? Acid Rain main cause is industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels. The waste gases from the contain sulfur and nitrogen oxides, combine with atmospheric water to form acids. 

The Effects of it: It makes the water acidic and causes them to absorb the aluminum that makes it's way from soil into the lakes and streams. The combination makes the water toxic to certain types of fish and other aquatic animals. 
Citations:

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-acid-rain.php 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/acid-rain/ 

what is acid rain? 

Natural Selection

Chloe Russell

Main Ideas:

          1) Survival of the Fittest

          2) Narrows down the most successful traits in the environment

          3) Natural selection is a constant process

                        a) the environment changes

                        b) the suitable factors that determine success change as well

Reflection:

          The theory of Natural selection was created by Charles Darwin. Darwin developed this theory by observing finches in the Galapagos Islands. I was shocked that in the Galapagos Islands the types of beaks on finches varied with the islands. The beaks on the finches were suited to the types of foods available. This can be applied to every day life by looking at people being the product of their environment. People who are raised in bad situations have a high likelihood of getting into a bad situation. It is the same for people who are in good situations. 

Citations:

"Natural Selection Topic". Answers in Genesis. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 May 2017.

19 May. 2017.("Unit 5: Mr. Black's Biology Class")

Translation

Heather Russo

rRNA-Ribosomal RNA

tRNA-Transport RNA

Codon-Groups of 3 of nitrogen bases

-Translation is the second part of creating proteins

-translation is the process in which ribosomes in a cell's cytoplasm create proteins, following transcription of DNA to RNA in the cell's nucleus.

-In translation, messenger RNA (mRNA) is decoded by a ribosome, outside the nucleus, to produce a specific amino acid chain

 -The tRNAs carry specific amino acids that are chained together into a polypeptide as the mRNA passes through and is read by the ribosome.

Reflection-

When researching this topic I learned more about how translation works and the steps that go with it. We had previously learned about this in class so I already knew a lot of about this topic but researching it on my own time made me understand it 10 times better. I liked this objective because it really put the pieces together in my head about the making of proteins.

"Translation (Genetics)." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web.

"DNA Translation and the Genetic Code." Kaiserscience. N.p., n.d. Web.

PKU - Nick Oberlin

PKU (Phenylketonuria)

Main Points:

 - Birth Defect

 - Causes amino acid phenylalanine to not produce normally
 - It is inherited

Heredity Pattern:
 - Autosomal recessive

Symptoms:
 - Delayed development
 - Intellectual disability
 - Seizures

What I learned:
Before making this blog post, I had no idea what PKU was or what it did. But now I know that it is a genetic disease that causes irregular production in the animo acid phenylalanine. It follows the autosomal recessive pattern and can cause some mental and physical disabilities.

Sources:
 - Notes from Mr. Black's class

Huntington's Disease

Huntington's Disease

By: Olivia Marshall

Main points…

Huntington's Disease is a disease that is an inherited. It causes degeneration of brain cells, called neurons, in motor control regions of the brain, as well as other areas.

Huntington’s disease causes disability that gets worse over time. People with this disease usually die within 15 to 20 years following diagnosis.

There are not any cures for the disease at the time.

Some symptoms you can have if you have the disease are uncontrolled movements, abnormal body postures, and changes in behavior, emotion, judgment, and cognition.

There is treatment that can help slow the disease down but it is not cured. 

Learned: There is no cure for the disease at the time.

Surprised: That you can get the disease at such a young age. It says you can get Huntington’s Disease starting at around age 30.

Citations: 

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Huntingtons-Disease-Information-Page

https://www.epainassist.com/genetic-disorders/huntingtons-disease

http://hdsa.org/what-is-hd/