YEAR 13 ELECTROPHORESIS WORKSHOP
W5
MONDAY 6 DECEMBER 2010
What factor most influences whether or not you contract a disease: genetics or lifestyle? The year 13 Biologists went to W5 to answer this question. We were challenged by two diseases- skin cancer and heart disease. Of course, it is slightly different for everyone, but genetics will play at least a small part in determining your susceptibility to these diseases. For example, your DNA contains the code for your skin colour which, in turn, determines your susceptibility to skin cancer.
We discovered that a person’s genetic make up can be and, in this case, was, the defining factor for contracting a disease. Using DNA profiling we investigated whether or not a patient would develop heart disease, solely using genetics. We were able to actually carry out an experiment which produced a genetic ‘fingerprint’ for the patient we were studying. This enabled us to test for a link to heart disease within the DNA. Gel electrophoresis was the process used to separate the DNA of the patient into different bands. By including the DNA of people with and without the disease we were able to compare the patients DNA and determine whether or not they had the disease.
The content was relevant to the AS specification and made the topic more easily understood in an enjoyable way (many year 13s also enjoyed naming the jelly products of the experiment and taking them home!). We all found it very helpful to be given the opportunity to carry out the experiment which linked the practical work to the theory.
We discovered that a person’s genetic make up can be and, in this case, was, the defining factor for contracting a disease. Using DNA profiling we investigated whether or not a patient would develop heart disease, solely using genetics. We were able to actually carry out an experiment which produced a genetic ‘fingerprint’ for the patient we were studying. This enabled us to test for a link to heart disease within the DNA. Gel electrophoresis was the process used to separate the DNA of the patient into different bands. By including the DNA of people with and without the disease we were able to compare the patients DNA and determine whether or not they had the disease.
The content was relevant to the AS specification and made the topic more easily understood in an enjoyable way (many year 13s also enjoyed naming the jelly products of the experiment and taking them home!). We all found it very helpful to be given the opportunity to carry out the experiment which linked the practical work to the theory.
This is an example of the way in which the information was produced by gel electrophoresis (www.antibiotic.ru/en/mbio):