Medium Flashcards
Why does the transposition efficiency decrease at lower transposon-to-transposase ratios?
Phenomena:
Insufficient transposons available for the enzyme to catalyze efficient integration.
Transposase binding becomes saturated or misdirected.
Explain what RT-PCR is. How does RT-PCR differ from PCR? How can RT-PCR quantify gene expression?
RT-PCR: Reverse transcription of RNA to cDNA followed by PCR amplification.
Difference: RT-PCR starts with RNA, PCR starts with DNA.
Quantification: Measures cDNA levels corresponding to original mRNA levels.
Explain how redundant primer tiling improves mutation detection in NGS libraries.
Covers overlapping sequences to ensure no mutations are missed.
Reduces false negatives by mitigating amplification bias.
Describe the genetic makeup of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin. What property makes it effective?
Genetic makeup: Encodes Cry proteins that target insect gut receptors.
Property: Selective toxicity to insects without affecting non-target organisms.
Provide full names for 4 genes and describe their protein functions.
gh1: Growth Hormone 1; promotes growth.
igf1a: Insulin-like Growth Factor 1A; mediates growth hormone effects.
gr: Glucocorticoid Receptor; regulates stress response.
cry1a: Cryptochrome 1A; involved in circadian rhythm
Describe four methods lncRNAs use to regulate proteins.
Scaffold proteins to form complexes.
Act as molecular sponges for miRNAs.
Modulate transcription by binding to chromatin.
Influence post-translational modifications.
What is the purpose of protein alignment? What information does it provide?
Purpose: Compare sequences to determine homology.
Provides: Evolutionary relationships, functional domains, and conserved regions.
Explain how CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screens identify functional DNA elements.
Targeted mutations disrupt genes.
Measure effects on phenotypes or processes to identify essential elements.
Interpret a Kaplan-Meier survival graph:
Groups with steeper decline have lower survival rates.
Identify treatments or conditions associated with better outcomes.
