scholarly journals DNA → RNA: What Do Students Think the Arrow Means?

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 338-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kate Wright ◽  
J. Nick Fisk ◽  
Dina L. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Genetic Information ◽  
Chemical Conversion ◽  
Canonical Representation ◽  
Central Dogma ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Student Interpretation

The central dogma of molecular biology, a model that has remained intact for decades, describes the transfer of genetic information from DNA to protein though an RNA intermediate. While recent work has illustrated many exceptions to the central dogma, it is still a common model used to describe and study the relationship between genes and protein products. We investigated understanding of central dogma concepts and found that students are not primed to think about information when presented with the canonical figure of the central dogma. We also uncovered conceptual errors in student interpretation of the meaning of the transcription arrow in the central dogma representation; 36% of students (n = 128; all undergraduate levels) described transcription as a chemical conversion of DNA into RNA or suggested that RNA existed before the process of transcription began. Interviews confirm that students with weak conceptual understanding of information flow find inappropriate meaning in the canonical representation of central dogma. Therefore, we suggest that use of this representation during instruction can be counterproductive unless educators are explicit about the underlying meaning.

scholarly journals Using Shapes & Codes to Teach the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology: A Hands-On Inquiry-Based Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael I. Dorrell ◽  
Jennifer E. Lineback
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
School Students ◽  
Central Dogma ◽  
Activity Sequence ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Support Students ◽  
The Relationship

The central dogma of molecular biology is key to understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotype, although it remains a challenging concept to teach and learn. We describe an activity sequence that engages high school students directly in modeling the major processes of protein synthesis using the major components of translation. Students use a simple system of codes to generate paper chains, allowing them to learn why codons are three nucleotides in length, the purpose of start and stop codons, the importance of the promoter region, and how to use the genetic code. Furthermore, students actively derive solutions to the problems that cells face during translation, make connections between genotype and phenotype, and begin to recognize the results of mutations. This introductory activity can be used as an interactive means to support students as they learn the details of translation and molecular genetics.

scholarly journals A Logic-Based Dynamic Modeling Approach to Explicate the Evolution of the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohieddin Jafari ◽  
Naser Ansari-Pour ◽  
Sadegh Azimzadeh ◽  
Mehdi Mirzaie
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Dynamic Modeling ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Boolean Network ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Central Dogma ◽  
Dynamic Framework ◽  
Modeling Approach ◽  
Biological Concepts

AbstractIt is nearly half a century past the age of the introduction of the Central Dogma (CD) of molecular biology. This biological axiom has been developed and currently appears to be all the more complex. In this study, we modified CD by adding further species to the CD information flow and mathematically expressed CD within a dynamic framework by using Boolean network based on its present-day and 1965 editions. We show that the enhancement of the Dogma not only now entails a higher level of complexity, but it also shows a higher level of robustness, thus far more consistent with the nature of biological systems. Using this mathematical modeling approach, we put forward a logic-based expression of our conceptual view of molecular biology. Finally, we show that such biological concepts can be converted into dynamic mathematical models using a logic-based approach and thus may be useful as a framework for improving static conceptual models in biology.

scholarly journals RNA editing in inflorescences of wild grapevine unveils association to sex and development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel J. N. Ramos ◽  
David Faísca-Silva ◽  
João L. Coito ◽  
Jorge Cunha ◽  
Helena Gomes Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Developmental Stage ◽  
Rna Editing ◽  
Genetic Information ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Transcription Level ◽  
Central Dogma ◽  
Wild Grapevine ◽  
First Time

SUMMARYRNA editing challenges the central dogma of molecular biology, by modifying the genetic information at the transcription level. Recent reports, suggesting increased levels of RNA editing in plants, raised questions on the nature and dynamics of such events during development. We here report the occurrence of distinct RNA editing patterns in wild Vitis flowers during development, with twelve possible RNA editing modifications observed for the first time in plants. RNA editing events are gender and developmental stage specific, identical in subsequent years of this perennial species and with distinct nucleotide frequencies neighboring editing sites on the 5’ and 3’ flanks. The transcriptome dynamics unveils a new regulatory layer responsible for gender plasticity enhancement or underling dioecy evolution in Vitis.

scholarly journals Reimagining the Power of Nucleic Acids as Therapeutic and Diagnostic Agents

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1707
Author(s):  
Anthony Berdis
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Genetic Information ◽  
Central Dogma ◽  
Diagnostic Agents ◽  
Typical Cell

The central dogma of molecular biology proposes that in a typical cell, the flow of genetic information proceeds from DNA to RNA to polypeptide [...]

Religion and Toleration from the Enlightenment to the Post-Secular Era

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Forst
Keyword(s):  
Immanuel Kant ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Reason ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
Pierre Bayle ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter addresses the classical question of the relationship between enlightenment and religion. In doing so, the chapter compares Jürgen Habermas's thought to that of Pierre Bayle and Immanuel Kant. For, although Habermas undoubtedly stands in a tradition founded by Bayle and Kant, he develops a number of important orientations within this tradition and has changed his position in his recent work. The chapter studies this change to understand Habermas's position better. It also draws attention to a fundamental question raised by the modern world: what common ground can human reason establish in the practical and theoretical domain between human beings who are divided by profoundly different religious (including antireligious) views?

A Case of Handwriting

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Hilliard
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Blotting Paper ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
Popular Literacy ◽  
The Relationship

At this point the chapters catch up in time with the events narrated in the prologue. Chapter 5 begins by recounting George Nicholls’ discoveries in June 1921. The detective searched the Goodings’ and Swans’ houses and took from the Swans’ a quantity of blotting paper that bore the imprint of some of the libels. Rose Gooding’s handwriting was very different. When Sir Archibald Bodkin, the Director of Public Prosecutions, read Nicholls’ report, he declared that this was fundamentally ‘a case of handwriting’. How, Bodkin mused, could an ‘uneducated’ woman develop such a distinctive style? The chapter uses Bodkin’s reaction to Rose Gooding’s letters, the evidence provided by spelling and misspelling, and the inventory of writing paraphernalia in the Gooding and Swan households, to explore the relationship between popular literacy and agency, engaging with the recent work of Jane Caplan and Patrick Joyce.

The More, the Merrier? Roles of Device-Student Ratio in Collaborative Inquiries and Its Interactions With External Scripts and Task Complexity

2021 ◽  
pp. 073563312110107
Author(s):  
Cixiao Wang ◽  
Huixiao Le
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Fifth Grade ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Simple Task ◽  
Fifth Grade Students ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
The Relationship

In collaborative learning, the intuition “the more device, the merrier” is somehow widely acknowledged, but little research has investigated the relationship between device-student ratio and the learning outcome. This study aims to investigate not only the main effect of different device-student ratio, also to identify the moderators in the learning context including task complexity, external script availability and students’ familiarity to the collaboration settings. A three-round quasi-experiment was conducted in a primary school in mainland China, 130 fifth-grade students from four classes participated. Group worksheet including conceptual understanding and problem-solving tasks were used to collect participants’ inquiry performance. Repeated measures ANOVA was employed in data analysis. Findings indicate that 1:m device-student ratio could be beneficial, and external scripts, and prior collaboration experience could moderate such effect. The different effect of 1:m device-student ratio to 1:1 is only significant in the situation when students are faced with relatively simple task, and the effect size is larger when external script is present. When the task is more complicated, such effect of device-student ratio would only emerge after a period of collaboration. This finding challenged the intuition that one-to-one device-student ratio could be better. Related discussions and recommendations to teaching were made.

Molecular biology of enzyme adaptations in higher eukaryotes

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 272-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donal A. Hickey ◽  
Bernhard F. Benkel ◽  
Charalambos Magoulas
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Tissue Specificity ◽  
Enzyme System ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Evolutionary Genetics ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Eukaryotic Genes ◽  
Higher Eukaryotes ◽  
The Relationship

Multicellular eukaryotes have evolved complex homeostatic mechanisms that buffer the majority of their cells from direct interaction with the external environment. Thus, in these organisms long-term adaptations are generally achieved by modulating the developmental profile and tissue specificity of gene expression. Nevertheless, a subset of eukaryotic genes are still involved in direct responses to environmental fluctuations. It is the adaptative responses in the expression of these genes that buffers many other genes from direct environmental effects. Both microevolutionary and macroevolutionary patterns of change in the structure and regulation of such genes are illustrated by the sequences encoding α-amylases. The molecular biology and evolution of α-amylases in Drosophila and other higher eukaryotes are presented. The amylase system illustrates the effects of both long-term and short-term natural selection, acting on both the structural and regulatory components of a gene–enzyme system. This system offers an opportunity for linking evolutionary genetics to molecular biology, and it allows us to explore the relationship between short-term microevolutionary changes and long-term adaptations.Key words: gene regulation, molecular evolution, eukaryotes, Drosophila, amylase.

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