1) Energy and biological information are two prerequisites for life.  Write an essay including diagrams explaining why these two prerequisites are important and describe how cells generate, maintain, access and use, these important resources.

2) Although most of the genes within our cells are inactive, being tightly packaged by histonal proteins within the chromatin, many of them can be activated rapidly in response to environmental stimuli.  An example of this is saliva production and secretion in response to the smell of food. Let us say that the saliva contains a hypothetical protein called "burgerase".  Using diagrams to help explain your answer, describe the sequential set of processes that are involved at the cellular and molecular level that allow for activation of the burgerase gene and the synthesis and secretion of the protein.

3)  In the reading assignment the Hardy Weinberg theorem that proves that "if left entirely to chance" the gene frequency in a large population does not change.   This is in direct conflict with the concepts of adaptation and evolution which require a change in gene frequency.

i) So how can populations evolve? Explain you understanding by:
 a) explaining the Hardy Weinberg Theorem; and
 b) giving 4 different situations that would allow for evolution.

ii)  What evidence do we have for evolution occurring.  Provide a list and explain how each supports the theory.

iii)  Give a brief overview of the process that may have lead to the evolution photosynthetic plant cells

4) Santa is very worried. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer has been feeling very ill just at the busiest time of year.  He calls you and asks you to have a look at Rudolph to see if you can diagnose the problem.  You notice that Rudolph has a runny nose and is sneezing a lot......symptoms that are commonly associated with a minor, non-lethal mutation called sled cough which can be readily treated by medication.  The normal gene for sled cough codes for a 7 amino acid polypeptide. You have a radioactive nucleotide sequence that is complimentary to the gene responsible for sled cough so you decide to clone the gene and sequence it to look for mutations.

i) Carefully study the diagram on the next page and decide whether Santa is:
  a) B
  b) A
  c) C
  d) All of the above
  e) None of the above
  f) Other...(please specify)

Click here to see the diagram.

Also explain the following:

ii)  How you would clone the gene for sled cough.

iii) The procedure to sequence the gene using the "enzymatic" di-deoxy sequencing method developed by Sanger.

iv) The  "enzymatic" dideoxy- DNA sequencing gel for a 31 base pair stretch of DNA for the "sled cough"gene is shown below.  Two sequences are shown, Rudolph's sequence and that of a normal reindeer (Prancers DNA to be exact).  Please note that the sequences shown on the gel are for the CODING i.e. transcribed strand (nonsense strand).

From the gel deduce the following:

 a) The sequence of the double stranded piece of DNA from the two reindeers (take care to identify the 5' and 3' ends of the molecule).

 b) The sequence of the mRNAs transcribed from the two genes.
 

 c) The primary amino-acid sequence of the two polypeptides generated from this RNA.
 

 d) What are the charges on the two polypeptides under normal physiological pH.
 

 e) What type of mutation occurred on Rudolphs gene and explain how it could be corrected back to normal.