Mendel Blog

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
16 January 2015

The Mendel links are here but you will need to work on them at home if the plug in is not working on your computer. You should go through the first two columns of programs. Run the program. Take a screen shot and post it in a blog with a few sentences about what you learned (3-5) about that topic.

Mendel's Peas


Mendel picked common garden pea plants to test for his research because they can be grown easily in large numbers and their reproduction can be manipulated. Pea plants have both male and female reproductive organs, meaning they can either self-pollinate themselves or cross-pollinate with another plant.  In his experiments, Mendel was able to selectively cross-pollinate purebred  plants with particular traits and observe the outcome over many generations.  Through the selective cross-breeding of common pea plants (Pisum sativum) over many generations, Mendel discovered that certain traits show up in offspring without any blending of parent characteristics.  For instance, the pea flowers are either purple or white by crossing white and purple peas. 

Crossing Over

Thomas Hunt Morgan, in the early 1900’s, used a common species of fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to expand the understanding of genetics. Morgan was the first to show through experiments that genes were located on chromosomes. He also found that certain fruit fly traits (e.g., white vs. red eye color) are found on the same chromosomes that also determine their sex. 

Dragon


Chromosomes are made from DNA. Genes are short sections of DNA. Alleles are different forms of a gene and can be dominant or recessive. enotype is what makes the trait - the information within a gene, or the genetic makeup of a specific organism. Genotype is determined by the makeup of something called "alleles," a word that refers to the form of a gene that produces different effects.The phenotype is the physical expression, or characteristics, of that trait. 

Dragon Meiosis


Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division which reduces the chromosome number by half. This process occurs in all sexually reproducing eukaryotes (both single-celled and multicellular) including animals, plants, and fungi. Meiosis the two successive divisions of a diploid cell of a sexually reproducing organism that result in four haploid progeny cells, each with half the genetic material of the original cell.

Natural Selection

Natural selection is the gradual process by which heritable biological traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of the effect of inherited traits on the differential reproductive success of organisms interacting with their environment. It is a key mechanism of evolution.Natural selection is Darwin’s most famous theory; it states that evolutionary change comes through the production of variation in each generation and differential survival of individuals with different combinations of these variable characters. Individuals with characteristics which increase their probability of survival will have more opportunities to reproduce and their offspring will also benefit from the heritable, advantageous character. So over time these variants will spread through the population.

Incomplete Dominance & Co-dominance

Incomplete dominance is a form of intermediate inheritance in which one allele for a specific trait is not completely dominant over the other allele. For instance, incomplete dominance is seen in cross-pollination experiments between red and white snapdragon plants because dominant allele that produces the red color is not completely expressed over the recessive allele that produces the white color.Co-dominance is a relationship between two versions of a gene. Individuals receive an an allele of a gene from each parent. If the alleles are different, the dominant allele usually will be expressed, while the effect of the other allele, called recessive, is masked.

Sex Determination and Linkage



Although the sex of a human is typically determined by the particular chromosomes received (XX for female and XY for male), sex is determined in different ways in many other organisms. Sex linkage describes the pattern of heredity between traits governed by genes on the sex chromosomes and the trait of 'sex', itself. In humans, although the Y is a small chromosome besides the sry gene, the X is a large chromosome with hundreds of genes that govern a wide variety of phenotypic traits. 

Genetic Counseling


Genetic counseling is the process by which the patients or relatives at risk of an inherited disorder are advised of the consequences and nature of the disorder, the probability of developing or transmitting it, and the options open to them in management and family planning.Genetic tests are done by analyzing small samples of blood or body tissues. They determine whether you, your partner, or your baby carry genes for certain inherited disorders.

Punnet Squares

1. The Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict an outcome of a particular cross or breeding experiment. In addition, it is a diagram is used by biologists to determine the probability of an offspring's having a particular genotype. The Punnett square is a tabular summary of every possible combination of one maternal allele with one paternal allele for each gene being studied in the cross. 

Gattaca Letter to Anton from Vincent

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
16 January 2015


Dear Anton,
I am sad to have report to that I done a surgery that will greatly affect the way I live and who I am, in order to pursuit my dreaming of going into space. You were always so better at me at everything and were the "better brother," not having any medical disabilities like I did and fulling Dad's dream of having a "perfect child." Since the day I was I was born, I have never really fit in our family, always standing out. You also found me repulsive, and that day I cut myself with a seashell in order to mix our blood together, you didn't  want to, afraid of what might occur. The day I finally beat you swimming the fathers out into the lake, I knew that it was my time to go and pursue my dream. I knew living at home would do me no good, and I would have to eventually give up on my dream, which I couldn't because I had my convince myself that it had to became reality. I thought I would never fulfill my dream of going into space, until I met Jerome Morrow, who was willing to sacrifice his identity into order to fulfill my dream of going into space because I did not meet the requirement of applying and getting into the school. I am going to dye my hair, cut off my feet and inset titanium into my bone to grow taller and be the new "Jermone." Vincent will cease to exist in the world, because of this imperfect genetics and disabilities that limited his big dream. To be honest, I had no other choice and could not just limit myself to poverty jobs because of "who I really am." Although yo are one ofthe dtectives on this case, I did not kill the space mission leader. I have no involvement in this case whatsoever, and am the same person I was back at home. You cannot just stand the fact for once in your entire life, that I am succeeding at life better at life, no matter how times you attempt to call the situation "fraud." I truly do love you brother, but you have to got to realzi you no longer have any control on me and you did before. Genetics do no matter, although the world does not realize it, and everyone is equally the same and should be given the same opportunity. So for now, dear, Anton, goodbye. I am finally going into space, following my long lifetime dream.

Love,
Vincent

Cell Project

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
7 December 2014

Final Project: Create a Cell

The cell I chose to make a 3D model of was: the bacteria E. Coli

Although everyone has E.coli bacteria naturally in their intestines, people and animals infected with the strand of E. coli 0157:H7, which can sometimes be found in under cooked foods, contaminated water and feces. Symptoms of E. Coli include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and low fever.

E. coli, short for the medical term Escherichia coli,  is a common type of bacteria that can get into food, like beef and vegetables . E coli  is not always harmful to our body and normally lives inside out intestines, where it helps the human body break down and digest the food we eat.  However, not all E. coli is good and certain types (called strains) of E. coli can get from the intestines into the blood. Although this is a rare illness it can cause a very serious infection. A person who has an E. coli infection may have symptoms such as bad stomach cramps and belly pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, sometimes with blood in it. One very bad strain of E. coli was found in fresh spinach in 2006 and some fast-food hamburgers in 1993. Beef can contain E. coli because the bacteria often infect cattle, and Cattle's   manure is used for fertilizer  (a common practice to help crops grow). Water as well  contaminated with E. coli may be used to irrigate the crops.

E. coli can be passed from person to person, but serious E. coliinfection is more often linked to food containing the bacteria, which occurs when the person eats the contaminated food and gets sick. E. coli poisoning can occur when you eat under cooked ground beef (used for hamburgers), vegetables grown in cow manure or washed in contaminated water, or fruit juice that isn't pasteurized (pasteurization is a process that uses heat to kill germs).

Heat can kill E. coli and washing and scrubbing vegetables can help get rid of E.coli before eating them. In some cases, E. coli poisoning can cause life-threatening kidney problems. Overall, the main method of preventing e.coli is to always wash and keep your hands clean! 

In addition, since E. coli is a type of bacteria, this means that it is a prokaryotic cell and lack a nucleus. Unlike animal and plant cells, E. coli have a capsule which protects the bacterial cell and serves as a barrier against phagocytosis by white blood cells, a flagellum  which serve as  long appendages" which rotate by means of a "motor" located just under the cytoplasmic membrane" moving the cell to where it desires to go, and a pili which are hollow, hair-like structures which allow bacteria to attach to other cells. In some cases E.coli is considered a pathogen, as it is known to cause diseases. Even though E.coli is known to have an extremely simple cell structure with only one chromosomal DNA and a plasmid, E.coli can perform complicated metabolism that helps it to maintain its cell growth and cell division. Plus, E.coli has been widely used to synthesize DNA and proteins. 

Furthermore, E. coli is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria containing some strains which are "piliated"and able of accepting and transferring plasmid to and from other bacteria, enables E. coli under with bad stress conditions to survive. Interestingly as well, E.coli has a network of fibers that allow them to bind to their host cells. Although E.coli are unique,they are similar to most bacteria in many ways, such as the fact that "E. coli can transfer its DNA materials through bacterial conjugation with other related bacteria to produce more mutation and add more strains into the existing population." 

Unlike both animal and plant cells, E.coli has three "walls" or protection, the outer layer called the capsule, the layer inside that the cell wall, and within that the plasma membrane. Likewise, E.coli contains a ribosomes like animal cells, however, contains a flagellum that enables it move. The pili in E.coli which plant and animal cells do not have are protein filaments that facilitate cell adhesion and conjugation. The DNA of E.coli , also unlike plant and animal cells, is more unorganized and just a clump compared to the nucleus of both which contain a multitude of parts. 

Theodor Escherich, a scientist first discovered E. Coli in 1885. Overtime, E. coli was found to be a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic and non-sporulating.

Reference: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/e-coli-infection-topic-overview

Hot Zone Blog: How do you think Monet got sick? What is his worst symptom?

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
6 December 2014

Task: Hot Zone Blog: How do you think Monet got sick? What is his worst symptom?

There are many possibilities and way that Monet may have gotten sick, however, I believe that the most believable way he got sick was by touching the black guano from the velvety mass of bats, which hung at the back of Kitum Cave on broken pillar. The bats were insect eaters, and the guano was an ooze of digested insects, which may have carried the disease.  Although the author is not certain of it, Monet may have put his hand in the guano out of curiosity. Monet worst symptom is continuous bleeding flowing out of his body. When the virus crashes and Monet dies, Dr. Musoke inspects him and notices his body still continuing to bleed. 

Website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001339.htm

Ebola Chapter 1

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
1 December 2014


Symptoms

• Massive headache
• Throbbing pain behind pain behind eyeballs
• His eyeballs ached
• His temples began to ache, the pain seeming to circle around inside his head. (It would not to go away with aspirin)
• Severe backache
• Became nauseated, spiked ever and began to vomit
• His vomiting grew intense and turned into dry heaves
• His face lost all appearance of life and set itself into an expressionless mask with the eyeballs fixed , paralytic, and staring
• The eyelids were slightly droopy, which gave him a peculiar appearance, as if his eyes were popping our of his head and half-closed at the same time
• The eyeballs themselves seemed almost dozen in their sockets, and they turned bright red
• The skin of his face turned yellowish, with brilliant star like red speckles.
• His personality changed. He became sullen, resentful, angry, and his memory seemed to be blown away. 
• expressionless mass of bruises 
• his whole head is turning black-and-blue
• the connective tissue in his face is dissolving, and his face appears to hang from the underlying bone, as id the face is detached itself from the skull 

Possible Ways Monet was Exposed

• The doctors at the hospital examined Monet, and could not come u with any explanation for what he might some kind of bacterial infection, they gave him injections of antibiotics, but the antibiotics had no effect on his illness. 
• his job, which was to take care of the sugar factory's water-pumping machinery, which drew water from the Nzoia River and delivered it to many miles of sugar-cane fields
• HIV or AIDS
• the weaver bird or beavers or crow
• food
• his trip to Mount Elgon with this woman from the nearby town of Eldoret 
• volcanic dust from Mount Elgon
• the monkey or baboon
• the steam that gurgled out of the rain forest 
• African olive trees as they walk to their campsite
• podocarpus trees 
• Kitum Cave- they found shelves inside the cave coated with green slime and Monet may have put his hand in the ooze
• Monet ran his ran over the minerals in the petrified rain forest in Kitum Cave
• over it hung a velvety mass of bats, which had fouled the pillar with black guano-a different type of guano from the green slime near the mouth of the cave, which Monet may have put his hand in 

Once Monet was effected with Ebola, many strange and absurd symptoms occurred. His intestinal muscles started to die and the intestines began to start going slack. Monet also began with a massive headache and throbbing pain behind pain behind eyeballs, which ached. His temples began to also ache as well, the pain seeming to circle around inside his head and would not to go away with aspirin. In addition, he also had severe backache and became nauseated, spiked ever and began to vomit. Not only did his vomiting grow intense and turned into dry heaves, his face also lost all appearance of life and set itself into an expressionless mask with the eyeballs fixed , paralytic, and staring. His eyelids were slightly droopy, which gave him a peculiar appearance, as if his eyes were popping our of his head and half-closed at the same time. Plus, the eyeballs themselves seemed almost dozen in their sockets, and they turned bright red. The skin of his face turned yellowish, with brilliant star like red speckles and his personality changed. He became sullen, resentful, angry, and his memory seemed to be blown away, instead of the nice, friendly man he was known to be.  Monet also had expressionless mass of bruises and his whole head began turning black-and-blue. Once the virus began, the connective tissue in his face is dissolving, and his face appeared to be hanging from the underlying bone, as if the face was detached from the skull. Tiny spots in his brain are liquefying and the higher function of consciousness are winking out first, leaving the deeper parts of the brain stem still alive and functioning. Most importantly, Monet got constant nose bleeds from both nostrils, a shining cloteless, arterial liquid that drips over his teeth and chin.

Source:

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/symptoms/

Fermentation

Leslie Gutierrez, Kelly Diep, Shirley
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
25 November 2014

Fermentation Project: Yogurt

Task: 

• a recipe in metric
• pictures of you making the product and tasting the product
• a paragraph describing in detail what type of fermentation is going on

Recipe

1. Place 0.946353 Liters of 2 percent milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until it reaches 180 degrees, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool to 115 degrees.
2. Whisk together 0.236588 Liters of the heated milk and 0.0443603 Liters of plain low-fat yogurt. Stir into remaining milk.
3. Transfer to a 0.946353 Liters mason jar. Wrap jar (without lid) in 2 clean kitchen towels, completely covering sides and top. Let stand undisturbed in a warm place until yogurt has the consistency of custard, 4 to 5 hours.
4. Refrigerate uncovered jar; when it's cool to the touch, about 30 minutes, screw on a tight-fitting lid.

• What type of fermentation is going on?
• The type of fermentation that demonstrated by creating yogurt is lactic acid fermentation. One produces yogurt through the lactic acid fermentation of milk with harmless bacteria. By decreasing raw milks pH it causes the milk to congeal, or increase in temperature, causing it rot and become yogurt. The bacteria in lactic acid fermentation, lactic acid bacteria, are a diverse group of bacteria that are able to ferment various sugars which then produces lactic acid plus other waste products. In general, lactic acid fermentation is the "anaerobic microbial breakdown of sugar, yielding energy in the form of ATP and releasing waste products, specifically lactic acid." In other words, yogurt is simply milk fermented by lactic acid bacteria. The two species of bacteria that are most commonly used to make yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaris and Streptococcus thermophilus. These types of bacteria then ferment the sugar found in milk, or lactose, into lactic acid and other compounds with unique flavors. In addition, the lactic acid causes the milk proteins to clump together, giving the yogurt its characteristic thick texture and  its delicious taste. According to education-portal.com, if you pulled out 1 gram of finished yogurt, you could find up to 100 million lactic acid bacteria,  which illustrates overall just how well lactic acid bacteria "are able to thrive by fermenting just lactose." 
• 
  

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/948811/homemade-yogurt

Leslie cooking the yogurt!

Leslie tasting the yogurt! YUM! 

Extra Credit Water Conservation

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
19 November 2014

Water Conservation

As the drought continues on, California water supply continues to decrease. One can save up to 25 gallons per day by installing flow restriction and fix leaks in indoor plumbing and outdoor sprinkle systems. In addition, you can turn off the water when washing dishes, brushing teeth, and for guys, when shaving. Taking a shorter shower and using a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, driveways and sidewalks are other ways you can help conserve water as well. One can save up to 25-50 gallons of water by using a shut-off nozzle and water bucket to was your car and by watering your lawn and gardens in cooler morning or evening house.  Installing high efficiently toilets and water-saving toilets and water-saving clothes and dish washers. plus covering pools and spas to reduce the amount of evaporation also helps conserve water. To save 50+ gallons of water per day you can reset or turn off automatic sprinkles in the late Fall or Winter and run only full loads in dish and clothes washers. These are many methods that people can help save water during this drastic drought!

Source: http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/water/

MY SELFIE (: