DIY GENOTYPING
Cambridge Science Festival, April 24th-25th
Together, we'll use the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a fragment of one of your genes and have the DNA sequenced. The event will be part of the Cambridge Science Festival and will run from 12 - 4 pm on April 24th and 25th.
We're doing it at the bosslab, located at 339R Summer St, Somerville, MA 02144, at Sprout. The cost of materials is $40 / person.
I will provide primers that will enable us to amplify sections of several popular genes. If you have a particular gene of interest, please get in touch with me and indicate it in the form below.
Hey, we've got a blog.
The Plan
The two genes we’ll be testing are BRCA1 (wikipedia) and TAS2R38 (wikipedia). BRCA1 encodes a protein that helps repair DNA and prevent cancer. TAS2R38 encodes a protein that detects a family of bitter-tasting compounds called glucosinates, commonly encountered via PTC taste strips in biology classrooms.
If you are interested in gene patents (or the lack thereof), read this blog post summarizing a recent paper, “Metastasizing patent claims on BRCA1”. The University of Utah’s Learn.Genetics program has an excellent introduction to “The PTC gene”, (TAS2R38). In general, their site has a good overview of genetics (good to read if you are a biology novice). Additionally, I like this 3D animation explaining PCR; Have a look.
Check out the wikipedia articles and explore NCBI’s reference pages for each, if you have time
There are three steps to the workshop:
First, I’ll provide an overview of the techniques we’re going to use, provide some social context regarding the two genes we’ll be sequencing, and explain what the results will be good for.
Second, each of us will extract our genomic DNA from spit samples, and then we’ll use the Polymerase Chain Reaction to selectively amplify just the region we are interested in.
On Monday, I’ll do the third step, which is to drop our PCR products (DNA) off for sequencing. On wednesday, I should get the results back, which I will send to you.
Stay in the loop
We'll email you when there's more to hear.
more
- + DIYbio
- + SNPs
- + PCR
- + BOSSLab
- + Cambridge Science Fest