In this lab we gave the bacteria a gene by cutting off one end and sticking a new gene on to one of the sticky ends.  The gene we gave to the bacteria was a gene from a jellyfish to make it glow.  The bacteria is E.coli.

Question: What happens when a specific gene that makes glow-in-the-dark proteins is added to the genetic sequence of E.coli?

Research: 

In class we cut these gene strips and labeled them the ones with the zig zaggy ends are the sticky ends this is what you want in order to place a new gene there. There are different enzymes for creating the cuts of bacteria. The sequence is cut in specific places in order to make the correct sequence with two cuts, a flat end and a sticky end.  If the end if cut flat, it is to prevent it from being joined up with another DNA sequence.  If the end is sticky, it was cut in a zig zag pattern so that it would join up with another sequence to bond easier and create a new DNA bond.IMG_20170306_125214

Procedure: 

 

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Claim: By doing this lab i can claim that you can splice genes and transfer them among species. This confirmed that they glowed under the UV light.

Evidence: 

The evidence for this is that the E.coli with arabinose sugar got the glowing gene of the jelly fish because it is needed to create the protein that causes the glow.  These dishes were labeled LB/amp/ara and was mixed with genetically modified gene called P-Glo.  The dishes labeled LB/amp were the dishes that did not glow.  They didn’t glow because they did not have the sugar in them to create the protein.  Also because they contained an antibiotic that killed all of the E.coli.

Reflection:

I did not like this lab because I couldn’t see the reflection of the glow with the UV light so I did not see the point.  In this lab I learned that bacteria will only glow if it contains the arabinose sugar.  I also learned how to splice DNA and how to transfer genes to other species. Something that could have gone wrong is that we could have forgotten to add the P-Glo to one of the dishes so it would not have made the experiment consistent.