Bsc2010 Unit 1 Study Guide

BSC2010 Integrated Principles of Biology I

Module 12 Evolution II

Assignment 03 Ice Fish: the birth & death of genes

Total Points 10

Name: Mitchell Regis

Instructions: o Watch the following video:

 The making of the fittest: The birth and death of genes o Answer questions. This is an HHMI activity. Be sure to use your own words. o You will also answer questions based on this system in the discussion post.

Icefish are among the few fish families that thrive in the oxygen-rich cold waters surrounding Antarctica. They have evolved a set of unique adaptations that enable them to survive in an environment that would be deadly to other fish. Several of these adaptations are associated with major health problems in humans. Can icefish help

Write down how scientists think the antifreeze gene evolved. Scientist think the antifreeze gene evolved after there was a mutation occurred during the duplication of the original gene.

5. Antifreeze proteins are found in icefish blood. Explain how the antifreeze proteins help the icefish survive in the Antarctic Ocean.

The simplest answer is that the antifreeze doesn’t allow the icefish’s blood to freeze in the cold temperature hence the name

6. Which of the following processes are caused by mutations?

Write “yes” or “no” next to each of the four possible responses.

Creation of new genes yes

Changes to genes that do not affect function yes

Loss of existing genes yes

Independent assortment of genes no

7. Suppose you identified and collected a new species of bacteria living in frigid waters in the Arctic. You grow these bacteria in the lab at −1oC and find that they grow well at this temperature. You then take two small samples of bacteria and put each in a different flask with bacterial growth medium. You grow the bacteria in one flask at −1oC (you call this the “−1oC strain”) and you grow the bacteria in the other flask at 25oC (you call this the “25oC strain”). The bacteria in both flasks grow well. After several months, you take 2,800 bacterial cells from the −1oC strain and put them in a new flask with growth medium. You take 2,800 bacterial cells from the 25oC strain and put them into another new flask with growth medium. This time, you grow both strains