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The Liggins Education Network for Science
LENScience Senior Biology Seminar Series
Breast Cancer and Biotechnology
Questions and Discussion
Pre-seminar School Discussion
During Year 12 Biology you learnt about cell biology, genetics and variation. It is useful to review these core
concepts before this seminar. A list of the Year 13 concepts linked to the seminar can be found on page 4 of this
handout. Don’t worry if you have not covered these in class yet. It is recommended that students review this
seminar again later in the year once you have completed molecular genetics and biotechnology.
A Review of Cell Basics
Use your knowledge of Y12 Biology and the information in the seminar paper to discuss the following questions.
1.
What are the key differences between mitosis and meiosis?
2.
The diagram on the right shows the cell cycle. Explain the
purpose of each of the processes in this cycle. Test your
knowledge with the cell cycle game at ..........
http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/2001/
cellcycle.html
3.
What is the name that scientists use for programmed cell
death? What are some of the reasons why this may occur?
4.
DNA replication is a semi-conservative process. Explain what
this means and why it is advantageous.
5.
Protein synthesis is a two stage process
involving transcription and translation.
Explain what happens in each stage of
protein synthesis.
6.
Scientists talk about coding and noncoding DNA. What do these terms mean?
7.
What does the term GENE EXPRESSION
mean?
8.
You have learnt about mutations. Review
the following terms relating to mutations:
- Spontaneous vs Induced
- Harmful vs Beneficial vs Neutral
- Gametic vs Somatic
- Gene vs Chromosome
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Cancer Focus Questions
Use the information in the seminar paper to discuss these questions. These concepts will be explained in depth
during the seminar.
11.
What is the key difference between a cancerous cell and a non-cancerous cell?
12.
In simple terms—what is a tumour?
13.
Rates of cancer are generally higher in older people than they are in younger people. What factors could
contribute to this trend?
14.
Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg have described the HALLMARKS OF CANCER. What do these
hallmarks or characteristics all lead towards?
Breast Cancer and Growth Hormone
15.
What is the key function of human growth hormone?
16.
Why would human growth hormone secretion be useful in breast tissue?
17.
What is the key link that the Liggins Institute scientists have made between growth hormone and breast
cancer?
18.
Why is the study of gene expression useful to scientists wanting to understand more about cancer?
Vocabulary
Nucleic Acid
DNA
RNA
Nucleotide
Adenine
Thymine
Cytosine
Guanine
Uracil
Genome
Chromosome
Karyotype
Gene
Allele
Genetic Code
Mitosis
Meiosis
The Cell Cycle
DNA Synthesis
Protein Synthesis
Transcription
Translation
Triplet
Codon
Anti-codon
Amino Acid
Polypeptide chain
Protein
Semi-conservative replication Gene Expression
Apoptosis
Mutation
Mutagen
Gene Profiling
Genome Analysis
Human Genome Project
Gel Electrophoresis
PCR
Microarray
Reverse Transcriptase
Cell Culture
EXAMINATIONS AND PREPARATION
Good teaching will give you experience during the year of many CONTEXTS that are linked to
CONCEPTS you are learning about. Breast Cancer is a CONTEXT. Gene expression, mutations, and
the cell cycle are all CONCEPTS.
The experience of participating in this seminar and the discussion questions will help you develop the SKILLS
required to interpret scientific information in CONTEXTS that you may not have come across before. This skill is
useful in examinations. Please expect to be assessed on understanding of concepts in the NZQA examinations.
Please do not expect to be assessed on knowledge of breast cancer in the NZQA examinations.
The NZQA Scholarship examination
is based on content relating to knowledge assessed in ALL Level 3
Achievement Standards. This includes both the internally and externally assessed achievement standards and
therefore DOES include biotechnology. Your preparation for the NZQA Scholarship examination must therefore
include revision of the concepts and knowledge within the biotechnology standard (AS90718). The scholarship
examination expects students to integrate biological knowledge. You should be expecting to look for and show
links between the biotechnology concepts and concepts relating to molecular biology, genetics, ecology and
evolution. This seminar and the challenge questions require you to make links between biotechnology and
molecular genetics. As with many scholarship questions, you are also provided with information that you should
use in the answer. This is a seminar not an examination, so you are being provided with more overview
information regarding the use of biotechnology that you would be in an examination.
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Post Seminar Challenge Questions
The Cell Cycle
1.
The cell cycle controls growth and reproduction in cells.
During the cycle, there are checks to ensure that each stage
has been completed correctly and that the cell is ready to
move onto the next stage (indicated by the arrows in this
diagram). Discuss the role of check points in the cell cycle and
the potential consequences of loss of control of the cycle.
2.
In the process of PCR used to study the level of expression of
a gene, the reverse transcriptase reaction is used to create a
strand of cDNA from a sample of RNA extracted from the
tissue being studied. Explain why RNA rather than DNA is used as the starting point for this process.
3.
Around 5-10% of cancer patients inherit a genetic pattern that gives them increased susceptibility to cancer
over their lifetime. BRAC-1 and BRAC-2 are well known alleles associated with an increased susceptibility to
breast cancer. Gene profiling can be used to identify individuals who carry these alleles. Discuss the potential
ethical implications that are created when one family / whanau member chooses to find out their gene
profile for an allele such as BRAC-1.
Higher Level Thinking Challenge Question
4.
Each year in New Zealand, approximately 2,400 women and 20 men are diagnosed with breast cancer and
approximately 600 people die of breast cancer. 1 in 9 NZ women will be affected by breast cancer in their life
time. Biotechnologies play a major role in the quest to understand cancer at a molecular level which can
lead to the development of effective treatments. Technologies used in cancer research include:
gene profiling
genome analysis
gene cloning and transgenesis
cell culture
The Human Genome Project has provided extensive information which allows scientists to look at genetic
differences between individuals. Microarray technology combined with this information allows scientists
and clinicians to look at genetic differences between individuals and develop individualised therapies.
Discuss how the use of named biotechnologies has enabled scientists to develop understanding of
cancer at a molecular level and how this understanding can then be used in the development of
effective treatments.
POST YOUR IDEAS, QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS AT
http://lens.auckland.ac.nz/index.php/Biotechnology_and_Cancer_Discussion_2009
A reminder of the 2007 Scholarship Biotech Question:
QUESTION THREE (8 marks)
HUMAN DISORDERS ARE INCREASINGLY BEING DIAGNOSED AND TREATED USING BIOTECHNOLOGICAL
APPLICATIONS SUCH AS:
•
Genetic testing, including testing of adults through to pre-birth diagnosis (for example: pre-implantation
genetic diagnosis (PIGD) of embryos, amniocentesis or chorionic villus testing)
•
Gene therapy
•
Stem cell research
•
Xeno-transplantation.
Discuss how the use of named biotechnological applications may impact on the gene pool and the future
biological evolution of Homo sapiens.
To access the assessment schedule for this NZQA Scholarship Question go to……………………………..
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/scholarship/subjects/resources.html
Interested in finding out about Herceptin?
To watch a presentation that explains why herceptin is only effective for some breast cancer patients, go to
www.insidecancer.org Click on Diagnosis and Treatment - Pharmacogenetics.
To find out about how biotechnologies are used to determine whether a cancer patient is suitable for Herceptin
treatment download this video from HotScience http://www.hotscience.co.nz/video_detail.php?videoid=122
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Level 3 Achievement Standards linking to this seminar:
AS 90714 Biology 3.2 Research a contemporary biological issue
AS 90715 Biology 3.3 Describe the role of DNA in relation to gene expression
AS 90718 Biology 3.6 Describe applications of biotechnological techniques
Key Concepts from Level 3 Biology that link to this seminar:
Below are selected objectives from the Y13 biology programme that link to this seminar. THESE ARE NOT A FULL
LIST OF THE CONCEPTS IN YOUR COURSE. You should review these concepts before the seminar.
Molecular Genetics / Mutations
Please remember these are only the objectives linking to this seminar—refer to your unit hand out at school for a
full list
Describe DNA in terms of structure and function
Describe the process of DNA replication and the role that enzymes have in this process
Describe the process of protein synthesis and the role of DNA and enzymes in the production of
proteins
Describe the role of DNA in gene expression and the determination of phenotype
Describe the control of gene expression at the transcriptional level in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Describe the role of metabolic pathways in the control of gene expression
Describe the process of mitosis and meiosis.
Define the term mutation and identify ways in which mutations may affect an organism
Identify the causes of mutations
Differentiate between somatic and gametic mutations and identify the potential effect of each of
these.
Show understanding of molecular genetics by using the core knowledge to give reasons for events that
happen in the cell and linking ideas
Show understanding of the cause and effect of mutations by using the core knowledge to link ideas
Biotechnology
Please remember these are only the objectives linking to this seminar—refer to your unit hand out at school for a
full list
Describe the techniques involved in gene cloning and how gene cloning meets human needs and
demands.
Describe the techniques involved in transgenesis and how transgenesis meets human needs and
demands.
Describe the techniques involved in DNA profiling and how DNA profiling meets human needs and
demands.
Describe the techniques involved in genome analysis and how genome analysis meets human needs
and demands.
Describe the technique of tissue culture and how it meets human needs and demands.
Be aware of the differing viewpoints of the use of biotechnological applications.
Show understanding of applications of biotechnological techniques by using core knowledge to link
ideas
Copyright © Liggins Education Network for Science, 2009
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http://LENS.auckland.ac.nz