BOUNDLESS BIOLOGY.

1. ENERGY the ability to do work is needed for the survivial of living organisms.
Catabolic Reactions:  reactions that result in the breakdown of complex substances.
Anabolic Reactions: cells build complex substances from simpler subunits (such as DNA from nucleotides.)
Metabolism: The sum of all anabolic and catabolic processes in a cell or organism.

2. LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS:
1. Energy cannot be created or destroyed but only converted forom one form into another. (The total amount of energy in the universe is constant.)
2. The entropy (measure of randomness or disorder in energy or in a collection of objects) of the universe increases with any change that occurs.
3. abosolute zero

3. All forms of energy can be classified as KINETIC ENERGY or POTENTIAL ENERGY

4. Potential energy diagram is a diagram showing the changes in potential energy that take placeduring a chemical reaction

5. Endothermic reaction: the reactants have more energy than the products
Exothermic reaction: the products have more energy than the reactants

12. REDOX REACTION: (oxidization-reduction) is a chemical reaction involving the transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to another.

16. COMPETITIVE INHIBITORS: substances that compete with the subtrate for an enzymeès acitive site.

DNA sequencing, the Sanger dideoxy method, is a technique based on DNA replication that uses dideoxy nucleoside triphosphates. The ddNTPS are dNTP whose deoxyribose sugar is missing -OH group on its 3' carbon. They are the chain terminators.

SIMILARITIES:
- Use electrophoresis
- Both methods use DNA polymerase

DIFFERENCES:
- DNA sequencing uses radioactively labelled primers, DNA polymerase, dNTPs, single stranded DNA template and most importantly ddNTPs
- DNA sequencing  uses a large sample of DNA sequence and replicates it
- PCR uses a small sample of DNA and amplifies it
- DNA sequencing maps specific nucleotides in a sequence wheras the main purpose of PCR is to produce large quantities of a specific DNA

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a process that amplifies a single or a few copies of a piece of DNA generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular  DNA sequence.

Vector Cloning involves vectors (vehicles by which DNA may be introduced into host cells by) that are introduced into host cells. Fragments of the DNA introduced into the cell are identically cloned when the cell replicates and divides.


SIMILARITIES:
- Produce a sequence of DNA in large quantities
- DNA is produced at a fast rate
- Use electrophoresis

1. Nucleoside have only a sugar and nitrogen base. (whereas nucleotides have sugar, nitrogen base, and phosphate group.)

There is a hydroxyl (-OH group) in the structure of RNA.

A portion of a DNA molecule with the helix unwound, showing the complementary base pairs.

1. Glycosyl - sugar + nitrogenous base (intramolecular)
2. Phosphodiester - sugar + phosphate (intramolecular)
3. Hydrogen - between nitrogenous bases (bonds connecting the nucleotides and nucleosides) (intermolecular)

Friffith's experiment proving that DNA is genetic material.

Exons are excised (cut out) before translation.

Possible ways DNA is replicated in. The two original strands of DNA are shown in yellow (light); newly synthesized DNA is blue (dark).

Getting our first real taste of genetics in the real world, we were introduced to an article called "Deaf by Design". The article tells the story of how a deaf couple want to concieve a deaf child, the world of deaf people, and the controversial side of having prenatal genetic testing to select a "desired" child.
Having never associated or known a deaf person, this article was an interesting and eye opening experience into the deaf community. I don't see deaf people any different than us, but I do feel concerned because they are usually isolated. They cannot hear or talk to people who do not know sign language and they can never hear music, the radio and television. The Deaf cannot hear their own children's laughter, cries, or anything that inspires all of the hearing people hearing from their children. It sound a little devasting but it seems as if the Dead don't see being deaf as a handicap. They've got their own tight knit community and their own culture, and they I'm sure they view their lifestyles as an alternative way of life, just as valuable as the life of hearing individuals.

As to them wanting a deaf child rather than a hearing one .... sure, why not. To each their own. If they think they can be better parents and it would lead to a stronger bond between the family, it seems as if it's the obvious answer to let them have what they want. As to aborting a fetus that can hear, it's not the most reassuring thing to hear and there definitely should be limitations and boundaries to this sticky topic.

While watching the documentary involving decision to getting a cochlear implant for a child, there was really one thing running through my mind. And that is how cool sign language is. Really, it's fascinating how sign language can be such a powerful way communicating from just using hand shapes to convey meaning.

As to getting a cochlear implant .... I'm not against anything that will improve life. The technology can help a Deaf person go so far beyond in the future, because after all, most people on this planet don't use sign language to communicate. It all comes down to whether the parents make the right decision. No one can interject and argue with the family on whats the best decision for the child. Outsiders never know the whole story.