Straighterline BIO250L Lab 7 Microbial Genetics & Genetic Engineering Completed
Worksheet with all lab photos (Latest Version August 2024)
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and professional formatting when completing this worksheet.
Submissions without proper formatting, all required photos or sufficient responses will be rejected.
Pre-lab Questions
1. Why are the concepts in Lab 7 important in the field of microbiology?
Important information about microbial behavior, evolution, and environmental impact is
provided by microbial genetics. Researchers can clarify the mechanisms underlying phenomena
like antibiotic resistance, disease processes, and advantageous microbial functions by examining
the genetic makeup of microorganisms. The modification of microbial DNA is made possible by
genetic engineering techniques, which pave the way for the creation of innovative enzymes,
environmentally friendly technologies, and essential medications. This field propels
advancements in a number of industries, such as environmental remediation, agriculture, and
biotechnology. In the end, microbial genetics research and applications improve human health,
natural resource management, and disease prevention.
2. Which DNA nitrogenous bases pair with each other?
In DNA, the nitrogenous bases that form complementary pairs are adenine (A) and thymine (T),
as well as cytosine (C) and guanine (G).
3. Which bases are purines, and which are pyrimidines?
Cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines, while adenine and guanine are purines.
4. How is DNA information used to make proteins? What are the steps of this process, and what
are the significant pieces of cell machinery that participate in this process?
Two essential steps in the synthesis of proteins are transcription and translation, both of which
make use of the genetic code contained in DNA. RNA polymerase helps to convert the DNA
sequence into messenger RNA (mRNA) during transcription. Transfer RNA (tRNA) attaches itself
to the mRNA as it moves to the ribosome during translation. When the complementary
anticodon on the tRNA pairs with the codon on the mRNA, the tRNA molecules transfer amino
acids in accordance with base pairing rules. After being joined to create polypeptides, these
amino acids eventually form proteins.
, 5. What occurs during each of the three steps involved in the PCR cycle? How has the use of PCR
changed biotechnology?
Three essential phases make up the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle: elongation,
annealing, and denaturation. Denaturation is the process of heating DNA until it splits into two
single strands. After that, the annealing phase involves lowering the temperature to enable DNA
primers to attach to the DNA template's complementary sequences. In the elongation phase,
the temperature is raised once more to help DNA polymerase synthesize a new DNA strand.
Because PCR makes it possible to precisely detect and analyze genetic material, it has had a
significant impact on biotechnology, especially in the field of medical diagnostics.
6. What are the three-nucleotide sequences that correspond to a specific amino acid called?
Codons
7. How could you take a known sequence of amino acids and use it to create an artificial gene?
Hint: Think about this question in the context of Question 6, above.
Recombinant DNA technology enables the production of proteins with specific amino acid
sequences or motifs through the use of bioinformatics tools and genetic databases.
Worksheet with all lab photos (Latest Version August 2024)
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and professional formatting when completing this worksheet.
Submissions without proper formatting, all required photos or sufficient responses will be rejected.
Pre-lab Questions
1. Why are the concepts in Lab 7 important in the field of microbiology?
Important information about microbial behavior, evolution, and environmental impact is
provided by microbial genetics. Researchers can clarify the mechanisms underlying phenomena
like antibiotic resistance, disease processes, and advantageous microbial functions by examining
the genetic makeup of microorganisms. The modification of microbial DNA is made possible by
genetic engineering techniques, which pave the way for the creation of innovative enzymes,
environmentally friendly technologies, and essential medications. This field propels
advancements in a number of industries, such as environmental remediation, agriculture, and
biotechnology. In the end, microbial genetics research and applications improve human health,
natural resource management, and disease prevention.
2. Which DNA nitrogenous bases pair with each other?
In DNA, the nitrogenous bases that form complementary pairs are adenine (A) and thymine (T),
as well as cytosine (C) and guanine (G).
3. Which bases are purines, and which are pyrimidines?
Cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines, while adenine and guanine are purines.
4. How is DNA information used to make proteins? What are the steps of this process, and what
are the significant pieces of cell machinery that participate in this process?
Two essential steps in the synthesis of proteins are transcription and translation, both of which
make use of the genetic code contained in DNA. RNA polymerase helps to convert the DNA
sequence into messenger RNA (mRNA) during transcription. Transfer RNA (tRNA) attaches itself
to the mRNA as it moves to the ribosome during translation. When the complementary
anticodon on the tRNA pairs with the codon on the mRNA, the tRNA molecules transfer amino
acids in accordance with base pairing rules. After being joined to create polypeptides, these
amino acids eventually form proteins.
, 5. What occurs during each of the three steps involved in the PCR cycle? How has the use of PCR
changed biotechnology?
Three essential phases make up the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle: elongation,
annealing, and denaturation. Denaturation is the process of heating DNA until it splits into two
single strands. After that, the annealing phase involves lowering the temperature to enable DNA
primers to attach to the DNA template's complementary sequences. In the elongation phase,
the temperature is raised once more to help DNA polymerase synthesize a new DNA strand.
Because PCR makes it possible to precisely detect and analyze genetic material, it has had a
significant impact on biotechnology, especially in the field of medical diagnostics.
6. What are the three-nucleotide sequences that correspond to a specific amino acid called?
Codons
7. How could you take a known sequence of amino acids and use it to create an artificial gene?
Hint: Think about this question in the context of Question 6, above.
Recombinant DNA technology enables the production of proteins with specific amino acid
sequences or motifs through the use of bioinformatics tools and genetic databases.
