Genetic Engineering: Introduction and Stations

Directions: You and your partner will have 10 minutes at each station. You are to read the entire page of information at each station. Then, answer the following questions regarding the information. After completing all six (6) stations, complete the analysis questions using complete sentences.

Station 1 Name: ______

1) Why is gene cloning used?

2) What is a plasmid and why is it used in this situation?

3) When is gene cloning most frequently used (for what process)?

4) The article states, “Under suitable conditions, the bacterial clone will make the protein.” What do you think these ‘suitable conditions’ are?

Station 2 Name: ______

1) What is the purpose of PCR?

2) How do you form single stranded DNA for PCR?

3) What was the key step in developing PCR? Why was this so important?

4) Why is this better than traditional conventional cloning?

Station 3 Name: ______

1) What is the primary goal of the HGP?

2) What is the objective of the HGP?

3) Describe how genes are mapped (look at the figure).

4) Out of all of the items that the HGP has taught us, which one do you think is the most important? Why?

Station 4 Name: ______

1) Why are stem cells so unique?

2) In which organs will stem cells regularly divide? In which organs will they not regularly divide?

3) What are the two kinds of stem cells? How are they cultivated?

4) Why do you think might protest to using human embryonic stem cells? Explain.

Station 5 Name: ______

1) How did scientists get the nucleus out of an udder cell?

2) What are some other organisms that have been cloned?

3) What do you think is the purpose of cloning?

4) How do you think humans may benefit from cloning?

Station 6 Name: ______

1) What are transgenic organisms?

2) What transgenic organisms will you find in the supermarket?

3) What is up with transgenic pig?

4) Why do people object to using or creating transgenic organisms?

Analysis Questions: Answer the following below using complete sentences. Make sure to thoroughly justify your answers.

1) How could you market the transgenic pig so that people would not be afraid to eat it?

2) How is gene cloning like animal cloning?

3) Out of all of the six (6) genetic engineering articles you just read, which one do you believe is the most important to humans? Defend your positions with at least two pieces of evidence.

4) Can you justify the creation of human clones?