How Mutagens Affect Our Organism Caenorhabditis Elegans ( Ems )

Through my current experiences serving the less fortunate, volunteering at Etobicoke General Hospital, and participating in the Syrian Refugee Committee, the importance and benefit of scientific research has become clear. I enjoy challenges because it is through these trials that our motivation and intellect are improved. I would greatly accept the challenge The Helix Summer Science Institute offers, because I would have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the effects of genetic mutations in conserved human disease genes, and the importance and use of C. elegans as a model organism. This program is an exceptional foundational opportunity for the preparation process towards medical

Pathogens can spread widely and affect many organisms at the same time. Several organisms evolve to become immune or to resist pathogens including humans and C. elegans. In this experiment, C. elegans avoidance assay plates were analyzed to determine if the C. elegans evolved to resist the pathogen S. marcerens.

Caenorhabditis elegans, a type of free-living nematode that is found in soil, is the subject matter for this experiment (Marsh). C. elegans allow for an exceptional model organism because it is easily raised in the laboratory setting, it reproduces rapidly, has a short life cycle of 3 days where it develops from egg to adult worm, only 1.3mm in length, and although only having 959 somatic cells, it shares many characteristics with other multicellular organisms like having organs and a nervous system (Kaletta). These nematodes can either be a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite where each animal produces both sperm and egg, or they can be males that will mate with the hermaphrodites (Brenner). When a hermaphrodite self-fertilizes, the chance of having a male being produced is extremely low at just 0.1%, however, when a hermaphrodite is fertilized by a male, the ratio of males to hermaphrodites is generally equal making it 1:1 (Altun).

RNA interference, or RNAi, is a biological process in which RNA molecules reduce the gene expression of an organism. This is done typically by causing the destruction of specific mRNA molecules. RNAs are direct products of genes, these small RNAs can bind to other mRNA molecules to either increase or decrease their activity like in the example of preventing an mRNA from producing a protein. There are two types of RNA molecules that are central to RNAi, these molecules are, micro RNA (miRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA).

The field of biotechnology has continued to grow due to the advancements in genomic technology and development of genetically modified organisms. The ability to amplify certain genes and place them into another organism gives off a “Frankenstein” feeling. The gene swapping that takes place naturally is a survival mechanism that allows bacteria to adapt and develop (Biello 2005). Using these bacterial or viral parasites to exchange genetic information can insert genes that can cause adverse effects when in the new

In Driscolls’s lab students were researching on the nervous system of the aging Caenorhabditis elegans, and also students were trying to sprout the neurite and deterioration of the synapse. C. elegans is a round worm which is an effective model for investigation of the rationed systems that adjust sound maturing. Students has reported that maturing C. elegans neurons can display novel neurite outgrowth from dendrites and from somata. New outgrowths can be exceedingly pervasive in maturing touch receptor neurons, with mitochondria regularly situated at branch locales. Diverse neurons display particular sorts of outgrowth, even with a solitary neuronal class. Be that as it may, not all neurons display morphological change with age, showing

The act of locomotion is highly dependent on the chemosensation of the worm, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The use of chemotaxis enables the roundworm to distinguish various volatile and water-soluble chemicals that allow for growth and survival. We investigated the complex nervous system through the use of RNA interference (RNAi). By using RNAi, we were able to nullify certain protein expressions and test specific genes to observe their involvement in chemotaxis. The experiment made use of an attractive chemical signal, diacetyl, and how the two unknown genes and two control groups would respond. C. elegans without the ODR-10 gene were not able distinguish diacetyl, whereas the absence of protein sequence K08B12.1 and gene CEH-2 were still attracted to the chemical odorant. Based on the P values of our data, we can assume K08B12.1 and CEH-2 are not involved in chemosensation or genetic redundancy may be an alternative reason.

The Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal organism most often used to study genes and mutations. The genome of the D. melanogaster, is similar to that of humans, making it the very beneficial to study. Through the studies done on the fruit fly, we are able to get a better understanding as to the processes of modern issues such as Alzheimer’s and cancer, in order to study and develop cures. Not only is the D. melanogaster an ideal organism based on its genetic similarities to human genetics,

The null hypothesis stated earlier that genes ZK1225.1 and ppt-1 are involved with the process of chemo-sensation must be rejected for the former and kept for the later based on the given results. The data collected may not be very credible; since, the positive control (ODR-10) did not follow the expected/accepted findings of having a chemotaxis index of 0.5. Having such a value for the index means that the C. elegans were unable to sense the diacetyl and would be equally distributed on both sides of the chemotaxis plate. However, data shows that 89.9% of the worms were on the diacetyl (DA) side, meaning that 89.9% of the C. elegans had nothing wrong with their neurosensory pathway. The negative control of the experiment (L4440)

For the majority of animals on earth, responding to chemical stimuli could mean the difference between life and death. Taste is an example of sensing chemical stimuli-however, this response is not entirely dependent on genes, as tasting something will not necessarily trigger a gene to activate. Within a simpler organism however, such as Caenorhabditis Elegans, there is a complex behavior that is mediated by three sensory neurons and transduce chemical stimuli to move muscles that move an animal forward(attraction) or backwards(repulsion). By placing these organisms on several plates which will inhibit genetic expression, and then testing chemotaxis at a later point, it is possible to determine which genes are responsible for chemotaxis. The global sample averages of the chemotaxis indexes of CEH-36 and CEH-27 are somewhat inconclusive, with a mean of 0.5815 for CEH-36 and 0.6981 for CEH-27. Overall, the results for CEH-27 are likely to show that there is a lack of genetic interference with chemotaxis where CEH-36 is less definitive.

Mutagenizing C. elegans- place agar plate containing C. elegans 50 cm way from 40 W UV lamp. Remove the lid and turn on the lamp for 15 minutes.

It is also shown that pesticides are partly responsible for the rising cancer rates and birth defects among children (“Pesticides”).

The Slowest Form of Poison: A Deeper Look into the Affects of Genetically Modified Organisms on Our Bodies

As society develops and the population grows, the human need for resources grows exponentially. To help combat this problem, since the 1980’s scientists have been genetically engineering plants to yield more over a longer lifetime. On the surface, this sounds solely positive, and the beneficial aspects are undoubted, however, a major concern is whether or not the use of these Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is more harmful than beneficial. Some of these GMOs could have ill effects on those who consume them and on the environment in which they grow. This has become such a concern that other areas of the world, such as the European Union, have passed regulations and guidelines on the use of GMOs. High levels of concern by other countries should cause an increased focus in the United States on understanding the risks as well as the benefits of using GMOs. Although Genetically Modified Organisms hold potentially beneficial qualities, the uncertainty of the effects they pose on the human body and the negative effects on plants outweigh the far-reaching attempts to solve world problems.

With only a 20-year history, genetic engineering is only a young science with much uncertainly relativity compared to other fields. Much of the elements bioengineering studies and experiments, the DNA genome and sequence, are still unknown to the scientific community. Changes in genes greatly transform the condition, structure, and essence of an organism, giving us an entirely different and unnatural creation. Even when the physical effects are barely noticeable or deemed safe and ethical, these modified creations’ effects on the environment are impossible to predict and will only emerge when the damage done becomes evident to the human population. Though a large unknown looms over modifying genes, bioengineering industries insist upon dismissing the scare over genetic foods with the vast potential “miracle” foods can benefit upon human society.