Biology alliance: Teaching Evolution from the Molecular Perspective

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Biology allianceTeaching Evolution from the
Molecular Perspective

• February 13, 2008

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Biology Alliance Mission

• To meet the needs of local educators regarding
  K-12 biology education by providing professional
  development activities, opportunities to exchange
  ideas, and appropriate resources for elementary,
  middle, and high school. We seek to encourage
  learning in the life sciences that is
  inquiry-based, applicable to real-world
  happenings, and consistent with the Kentucky Core
  Content.

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Biology Alliance Resources

• Website http//www.nku.edu/bowlingb2/Bio_allianc
  e.html
• Equipment
• Microscopes
• Possibility can acquire additional items

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ENV 578 Environmental Issues for
EducatorsSpring/Summer IntersessionMay
12th-31st 2008 M-R 430-910 p.m.

• Counts toward environmental education endorsement
  for teachers
• Counts as a science content area specialization
  course
• Course includes content coverage
• Students finish the course with their own lesson
  plans based on course content
• In-class lab time and field trips for practical
  application of knowledge

Not all classes will go until 910 p.m.
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Biology Alliance Resources

• NKU Biological Sciences Dept
• Evolution Day Dr. Richard Durtsche
• ThinkFirst Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
  Prevention Dr. Kristi Martines

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Standards

• 6th Grade
• SC-06-3.5.1Students will explain that biological
  change over time accounts for the diversity of
  species developed through gradual processes over
  many generations.
• Biological adaptations include changes in
  structures, behaviors, or physiology that enhance
  survival and reproductive success in a particular
  environment.
• 8th Grade
• SC-08-3.5.1Students will draw conclusions and
  make inferences about the consequences of change
  over time that can account for the similarities
  among diverse species.

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Standards

• High School
• SC-HS-3.5.1
• Students will
• predict the impact on species of changes to (1)
  the potential for a species to increase its
  numbers, (2) the genetic variability of offspring
  due to mutation and recombination of genes, (3) a
  finite supply of the resources required for life,
  or (4) natural selection propose solutions to
  real-world problems of endangered and extinct
  species.

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• Species change over time. Biological change over
  time is the consequence of the interactions of
  (1) the potential for a species to increase its
  numbers, (2) the genetic variability of offspring
  due to mutation and recombination of genes, (3) a
  finite supply of the resources required for life
  and (4) natural selection. The consequences of
  change over time provide a scientific explanation
  for the fossil record of ancient life forms and
  for the striking molecular similarities observed
  among the diverse species of living organisms.

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• Changes in DNA (mutations) occur spontaneously at
  low rates. Some of these changes make no
  difference to the organism, whereas others can
  change cells and organisms. Only mutations in
  germ cells have the potential to create the
  variation that changes an organisms future
  offspring.

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Evolution

• Change over time
• Biological evolution change in allele
  frequencies in a population over time
• Microevolution
• Macroevolution - evolutionary change at the
  species level or higher formation of new
  species, new genera, etc.

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Jean Baptiste de Lamarck

• 1744-1829
• Set the stage for Darwin
• strongly advocated evolution
• proposed species evolve as a result of
  interactions with their environment

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Jean Baptiste de Lamarck

• 1809 proposed inheritance of acquired
  characteristics
• Traits used during life show up as enhanced in
  the next generation
• traits that are not used gradually disappear

Interesting hypothesis but not quite right, why?
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Genotype to Phenotype

• Gene provide instructions on how to make
  protein molecules
• Proteins are what makeup our various traits

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What about lipids, carbohydrates?

• Proteins responsible for producing lipids and
  carbohydrates

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Genotype to Phenotype
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A pair of homologous chromosomes, each in the
unduplicated state (most often, one from a male
parent and its partner from a female parent)
Gene unit of DNA information about a trait
Alleles different versions of a gene
Human Chromosomes
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Charles Lyell

• 1797-1875
• Geologist
• Wrote Principles of Geology 1830
• Proposed
• Earth very old
• Natural forces gradually change Earths surface

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Charles Darwin

• 1831 22 yrs old, voyage of the HMS Beagle
  exploration
• Observed collected thousands South American
  plants animals
• Read Lyells book
• Proposed mechanism for evolution of living
  organisms - Natural Selection

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Natural Selection

• Evolution by natural selection
• Proposed by Darwin and Alfred Wallace
  independently
• Darwin On the Origin of Species, 1859

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Darwin Wallaces Key Ideas

• Descent with Modification idea that all
  organisms are descended with changes from common
  ancestors
• Natural Selection increased survival and
  reproduction of individuals better adapted to the
  environment

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Natural Selection

• Organisms have heritable variation in their
  structures and behaviors
• Organisms produce more offspring than can survive

Nature selects which variations are best for
survival and reproduction survival of the
fittest
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Adaptation

• Heritable aspect of form, function, behavior, or
  development that improves the odds for surviving
  and reproducing in a given environment

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Sickle Cell Anemia
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Sickle Cell Anemia

• In acidic conditions, mutant red blood cells
  sickle
• Clog blood vessels
• Cause pain and eventually death

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Malaria

• Caused by plasmodium which is carried by
  mosquitoes
• Infects red blood cells

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Malaria Sickle Cell

• Heterozygotes one mutant allele, one wild-type
• In acidic conditions, about half the cells sickle

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Malaria Sickle Cell

• Plasmodium infects red blood cells, causes an
  acidic environment
• Red blood cells that sickle are targeted by
  immune system destroy the plasmodium with it

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Malaria Sickle Cell

• In malarial environments, heterzygotes for sickle
  cell have a selective advantage
• More likely to live longer, have more children

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Human Genome

• 4,500 gaps where the sequence of DNA units is
  uncertain
• Technology does not yet exists for decoding the
  large amounts of DNA at the center and tips of
  the chromosomes

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Human Genetic Variation

• In at least 44 percent of Dr. Venters genes, the
  copies inherited from his mother differ from
  those inherited from his father
• Estimated that two individuals would be identical
  in 99.9 of their DNA, new data indicates around
  99.5

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Human Genome Sequencing

• http//www.decodeme.com/
• https//www.23andme.com/
• http//www.wired.com/medtech/genetics/magazine/15-
  12/ff_genomics

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Evolution Resources

• http//evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evohome.html
  
• http//www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/evolution98/c
  ontents.html

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Fig. 10-4, p.150