“Synthetic chromosomes, Transcriptomes, and Patents on BRCA genes”

This week is all about our DNA and genes. For your primary post, respond to one of the following three topics. Also, please reply to at least one fellow student on any topic.

Topic 1 [videos]:  Its parent was a computer file. Watch the short video about organism with the synthetic chromosome that was created at the Craig Venter Institute (1)* and the video about the “streamlined” version that organism(2)*.   Subsequently, answer the following:

• (a) How does the DNA in the synthetic organisms differ from DNA in naturally-occurring microorganisms?
• (b) What do you think we’ve learned from these experiments?
• (c) In your opinion, what are the inherent risks of this research to human health or to the environment, if any?

Topic 2 [article]: Transcriptomes. The complete set of all DNA in a cell is called the genome. The complete set of all the mRNA in a cell is called the transcriptome. Read the following article about the transcriptome (1)*, then address the following:

• (a)  What does the transcriptome tell us that we can’t get from the genome? 
• (b) Explain how this concept relates to our lesson on gene expression from Chapter 7.

References (in Strayer Writing Standards format).

1. Associated Press, May 20, 2010. Scientists make synthetic cell using manmade DNA., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyAOepIU6uo
2. Newsy Science, March 25, 2016. Synthetic life has been streamlined and is ready to be put to work., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saaWTiQie0M
3. National Human Genome Research Institute, August 27, 2015, Transcriptome, https://www.genome.gov/13014330/transcriptome-fact-sheet/