Suppose that we are certain that Trait 1 follows a Mendelian pattern of inheritance and that Trait 1 is an autosomal dominant trait.
Assignment: SCI115 Week6 Discussion-STR

SCI 115 Week 6 Discussion STR
Discussion

Pedigrees for Topics 1 and 2. A document in this week’s Instructor Insights folder contains the pedigree for three different traits from the same family. Each pedigree follows the usual conventions for pedigrees: squares are male; circles are female; offspring are drawn under each mating pair. Individuals with the trait are shaded. See the textbook for more information about pedigrees.
Topic 1. Pedigree for Trait 1. Suppose that we are certain that Trait 1 follows a Mendelian pattern of inheritance and that Trait 1 is an autosomal dominant trait. Suppose further that the dominant allele is designated as A and the recessive allele is a.

(a) Determine the genotype of Alan Blue and explain how you determined it. Go through your logic and reasoning step by step.
(b) If we were wagering on the genotype of Harlan Brown, what genotype would you put your money on? Explain.
Topic 2. Pedigrees for Trait 2. Suppose that we are certain that Trait 2 follows a Mendelian pattern of inheritance and that Trait 2 is an autosomal recessive trait. Suppose further that the the dominant allele is B and the recessive allele is b.

(a) Determine the genotype of Alan Blue and explain how you determined it. Go through your logic and reasoning step by step.
(b) Determine the genotype of Denise Hawk and explain how you determined it. Go through your logic and reasoning step by step.
Topic 3. Esvelt’s Regret. In the article by Zimmer (1), Kevin Esvelt says that he made a huge mistake by championing the application of a technology that he now says is far too dangerous to actually deploy. In a post of about 125 words, address the following:

(a) What is the technology that Esvelt championed? What does this technology do? Why does he think it’s too risky to use outside the lab?
(b) In your opinion, what sorts of laws and regulations, if any, should society put into place to regulate the technology that Esvelt regrets championing?
Topic 4. Societal Aspects of Human Gene Editing. Read the article by Neuhaus (2) and/or the article by Ossola, then address the following:

(a) Where do you think our procedures, regulations and laws ought to come down regarding human genome editing, with CRISPR (or any other tool)? Take a clear position on this.
(b) Explain your rationale.
References

Carl Zimmer, November 16, 2017, ‘Gene drives’ are too risky for field trials, scientists say, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/science/gene-drives-crispr.html?_r=0
Carolyn P. Neuhaus, March 16, 2017, Genome editing: bioethics shows the way. http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2001934
Alexandra Ossola, August 6, 2015, Should bioethicists “get out of the way” of CRISPR research?, https://www.popsci.com/should- bioethicists-get-out-way-crispr-research

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