Genes and Society (LSM1302/GEK1527)

Assignment 3 (Sem. 2 AY.2015-16)

Assignment Instruction
You are required to view specific short films, explore several websites and read
some materials provided to you before attempting the questions below. You are
responsible to find access to these websites and are advised to start early and not
wait until last minute [inability to access websites or computer/internet problems are
not valid reasons since you are given ample time to finish this assignment (read
submission instruction at end of page)].

Answer ALL the questions in your own words using the Assignment_3 Answer
Sheet provided in the same IVLE folder.

This assignment will account for 10% of your overall final grade.

Question 1. [2.5 marks]

a. Watch The Icefish Has Clear Blood: The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and
Death of Genes.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpIe8_pUSu4&feature=youtu.be)
i) Name the gene that died and explain how it died without affecting the fish.
ii) Name the gene that was born and explain how and why it was born.
[1.0 mark]

b. Watch the silver fox experiment (http://vimeo.com/76914919). How did Lyudmila

Trut know that aggression and tameness in silver foxes is determined by gene(s)
and not nurture by the environment? State the two reasons she gave in the video clip
for her conclusion. [0.5 mark]

c. Read the article entitled Taming the Wild written by Evan Ratliff in the March 2011
issue of the National Geographic Magazine.
(i) What common research goal does scientists like Anna Kukekova, Leif Andersson
and Frank Albert share?
(ii) Assuming that the research goal of the scientists is achieved, propose a potential
application that scientists may want to apply the knowledge on human society.
[1.0 mark]

Question 2 [2.5 marks]

Read John Rocks Error by Malcolm Gladwell: http://gladwell.com/john-rock-s-error/

a. Based on the extended excerpt, identify two (2) factors that could increase the risk
of cancer in female reproductive tissue-organs (e.g. breast, ovarian or endometrial
cancer). [0.5 mark]

b. Read the article Should Nuns Take the Pill to Prevent Cancer? by Alice Park.
http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/08/should-nuns-take-the-pill-to-prevent-cancer/

1
 Genes and Society (LSM1302/GEK1527)

What is the rationale for proposing nuns to take contraceptive pills to prevent
cancer? [0.25 mark]

c. Read My Medical Choice and Diary of a Surgery by Angelina Jolie-Pitt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?_r=1&
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opinion/angelina-jolie-pitt-diary-of-a-surgery.html
Read Breast Cancer Risk in American Women by (US) National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/probability-breast-cancer

Explain why and how is Angelina Jolies risk of developing breast cancer higher than
the average American women? [1.0 mark]

d. Go to Inside Cancer( http://www.insidecancer.org/ ) > Causes and prevention >

Inheritance > Breast cancer gene testing

Based on the content in the website, what method was used for detecting the
presence of a mutated BRCA1allele with a deletion in an individual? Describe briefly
how the method work in detecting mutated BRCA1allele with a deletion.
[0.75 mark]

Question 3 [2.5 marks]

a. Visit Genes to Cognition Online ( http://www.g2conline.org/ ).

(i) Based on the information provided in the website, name one gene (and the
chromosome that it is located on) that is associated with three mental conditions i.e.
autism, bipolar disorder and depression.
(ii) How would you use this gene [in question (i)], i.e. what would you be looking for
with regards to this gene, to detect for increased risk of the mental conditions in an
infant?
[1 mark]

b. Watch the interviews with Dr. Kay Jamison. Go to Genes to Cognition Online
(http://www.g2conline.org/# ). Click on Bipolar Disorder and go to Cognition and
click on the second node under Experiencing Bipolar Disorder.

i) Dr. Kay Jamison describes the shock of hearing her own diagnosis of manic
depression (bipolar disorder) and the cruelty her doctor's advice not to have children
as one of the more upsetting things I had been through, in terms of just an
experience with another person. In her words, I couldn't believe first of all, I couldn't
believe the cruelty, because it was said with such a level of certainty, there was not
any question of, of being wrong that I had a very bad psychiatric illness and I
should not let loose into the world any more people that had those genes. Why do
you think she describe it as cruel?

2
 Genes and Society (LSM1302/GEK1527)

ii) According to Dr. Jamison, what would be the eugenic quandary/dilemma that we
might face when a prenatal test for manic depression (bipolar disorder) becomes
available?
[1.0 mark]

c. Visit Lick Your Rats ( http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/rats/ )

Visit Epigenetics and the human brain and watch the video on epigenetic link
between child abuse and the suicide risk
( http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/brain/ ).

Based on the information in the website and video, how would the methylation state
and expression levels of Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) gene and the rRNA genes in
the hippocampus of people who had experienced child-abused and committed
suicide possibly affect the behavior of the person? [0.5 mark]

Question 4 [Total marks: 2.5 marks]

Genetics (DNA sequences) and archaeological findings have helped to solve some
of the mysteries of life including both natural cases (e.g. the predecessor of maize
crop) and also historical forensic cases (e.g. Recovering the Romanovs).

a. Watch Popped Secret: The Mysterious Origin of Corn at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBuYUb_mFXA

Scientists working in the fields of both genetics and archaeology have made
discoveries that help us understand the origin of maize. In what ways did each
discipline's work help to provide or support evidence generated by the other?
[1.0 mark]

b. Visit DNA Interactive_Applications (http://www.dnai.org/d/index.html). Click on

Recovering the Romanovs.

i) What is the relationship between Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) with Anastasia
Romanov and how was his mt DNA useful in this case? [0.5 mark]

ii) How was the skeletal remains of Tsar Nicholas II identified using mt DNA
sequencing? [0.5 mark]

iii) What did mt DNA sequencing reveal about the identity of Anna Anderson and her
claim to be Anastasia Romanov? Explain the evidence. [0.5 mark]

3
 Genes and Society (LSM1302/GEK1527)

Submission Instruction
1. Deadline Submission of Softcopy: March 2, 2016 (Wednesday), 5 am.
2. Softcopy online submission upload to IVLE>Workbin Assignment Submission
Folder>Student Submission>Assignment 3 Submission.
3. Name your file in the following format, yourmatricnumber_Assignment3. If your
matriculation number is U081234A, the filename should be
U081234A_Assignment3.
4. Save your file in the following format: Microsoft Word document.
5. To ensure that the correct file has been successfully uploaded to the correct folder,
please login to the IVLE website after a few minutes you have logged-out, download
the file you had uploaded to the folder, and open the downloaded file to verify that it is
the correct file.
6. It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct file is uploaded successfully to the
correct folder. You will not be given a second chance to upload another file to the
folder after the deadline has passed.
7. If you decide to upload an updated version of your submission before the deadline,
please delete the older file before uploading the newer file.
8. Late submission, wrong submission or failure in submission will not be entertained
and student will be awarded zero marks. Marks will be deducted for sloppy submission
(e.g. submitted into wrong folder, incorrect file name, no matriculation number etc.)
9. Person in-charge: Madam Wong Wai Peng (dbswwp@nus.edu.sg)
10. For this assignment, we will perform the plagiarism check (you do not need to
do so). Students suspected of copying each others work will be contacted and if found
copying each others work both will be assigned zero marks for this assignment.