DNA

The magical molecule of life

Controls all life processes

• Trait expressed is controlled by GENES

• GENES are determined by the order of base pairs in the gene

• Bases that form the pairs are :– (A) Adenine– (T) Thymine– (C) Cytosene– (G) Guanine

The order of nucleotides determines the protein desired• Similar to train and its cars

– Many individual AMINO ACIDS– Each amino acid is a car of the train– Coded for by the nucleotides– Proteins are formed in the RIBOSOMES

•Human Genome Project

• Map the entire Human Genomic code– How do you find a phone number?

• Now that we know where the genes are and what letters that make them up:– Gene therapies– Gene manipulation

• Improving that which already exist• “Fix” broken genes• Improve “imperfect” genes

•Already happening

• Seen in medicine:– Insulin production

• Seen in Agriculture:– “seedless”– Desired traits into vulnerable plants

• Arctic flounder gene in oranges

• Seen in animals:– Cross-breeding/selective breeding

• Killer bees

•What about humans?• Already testing therapies• What about allowing the manipulation of some

desirable genes?– Intelligence– Artistic capabilities– Height/eye color/hair color– Athletic abilities

• What do you think may result from this as a society if we allow this to happen?– What about the people that are NOT selected?