Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics
Topic Summary
From: http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/preview.cfm?imageid=2130&fileformat=jpg
DNA technology and genomics are hot topics in the current world. It is not just AP Biology students who have to deal with it. Diabetics rely on insulin produced and harvested from recombinant organisms. Individuals are released from prison based on DNA evidence that they were not at fault. People all over the world enjoy seedless fruits. Chapter 20 explores the methods commonly used by researchers including, gene cloning, restriction fragment analysis, nucleic acid hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, southern blotting, and cytogenetic mapping. Furthermore, it provides an introduction to the immense number of applications including medicine, forensics, agriculture, gene therapy, and ecology.
Some may feel this chapter is not a priority in terms of AP Biology, but I must stress that this chapter should not be skipped over. I personally saw many questions on the AP Exam relating to concepts and technology covered in this chapter – including free response questions. The College Board may not have previously stressed this topic on the exam, but they do now, due to the increasing importance of DNA technology in our lives.
Some may feel this chapter is not a priority in terms of AP Biology, but I must stress that this chapter should not be skipped over. I personally saw many questions on the AP Exam relating to concepts and technology covered in this chapter – including free response questions. The College Board may not have previously stressed this topic on the exam, but they do now, due to the increasing importance of DNA technology in our lives.
Navigating this Website
Thank you for coming to my website and I hope you find it interesting and informative. On the bottom of this page, there is a file to the Power Point I created to go along with this chapter. After reading through the powerpoint (and reading the text of the textbook!) click on the next tab at the top of the page to see a list of key terms and interesting images related to genetic engineering. After that, click on the next tab to see a list of activities. There is a crossoword puzzle to test vocabulary (and an answer key), a worksheet on DNA technology (which is also a good study tool before a test) and three captivating videos. When you feel ready, take the assessment that follows and check your answers using the answer key. The final tab brings you to a page where I give advice to students taking AP Biology and list the resources that I used to create this site.
A Note on Plagiarizing and How to Cite this Website
Students are often warned not to plagiarize, but I understand that it is not intentional at times. I have put the source under everything that I borrowed from others, as well as citing them properly in my works cited. However, as a student, I understand that it is sometimes difficult to find the information necessary to cite a specific source, especially when it comes to websites. Often, authors, organizations, and copyrights are not specified directly, or are not included in the site at all. I believe that if everyone came halfway by specifying how to cite his or her materials, then there wouldn’t be so much plagiarism in the world (although there is no way to stop intentional plagiarism). So if you would like to use any of the materials that are directly made by me (the PowerPoint, key terms list, crossword, worksheet, test, answer keys, summary, image explanations, and advice) then please use the following in your works cited page or within your text:
Note: It is up to you to edit the page title (I put up all of the possible ones you can choose from), and the date accessed. When formating your works cited page, make sure to indent every subsequent line for each citation.
APA
Bhattacharya, Tuhina (May 2009). Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited. Retrieved Date Accessed, from Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics Web site: http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com
In Text: (Bhattacharya, 2009)
MLA
Bhattacharya, Tuhina. "Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited." Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics. May 2009. Date Accessed <http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com>.
In Text: (Bhattacharya)
Turabian
Bhattacharya, Tuhina. "Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited." Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics. Available from http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com. Internet; accessed Date Accessed.
In Text: (Bhattacharya, 2009)
Note: It is up to you to edit the page title (I put up all of the possible ones you can choose from), and the date accessed. When formating your works cited page, make sure to indent every subsequent line for each citation.
APA
Bhattacharya, Tuhina (May 2009). Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited. Retrieved Date Accessed, from Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics Web site: http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com
In Text: (Bhattacharya, 2009)
MLA
Bhattacharya, Tuhina. "Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited." Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics. May 2009. Date Accessed <http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com>.
In Text: (Bhattacharya)
Turabian
Bhattacharya, Tuhina. "Page Title-Home or Key Terms and Images or Activities and Assessment or Advice and Works Cited." Chapter 20: DNA Technology and Genomics. Available from http://dnatechnologyandgenomics.weebly.com. Internet; accessed Date Accessed.
In Text: (Bhattacharya, 2009)
| dna_technology_and_genomics_powerpoint.ppt |
