An Experimentation on Genetic Engineering

             Genetic engineering is actually a very new branch or science, and is still in its developing stage. It is said to have first begun when an English scientist saw the cell walls of cork through a microscope in 1655. That spawned an interest in microbiology, which eventually formed the branch that I"m experimenting in. As we began peering into the innermost reaches of the cell, we began to notice certain patterns of reproduction. Before a cell divides, it duplicates every component within itself, and sends those duplicates to separate ends of the cell. Then, depending on whether it"s a plant or an animal cell, builds a wall between the two halves, or pinches a wall down the middle. .

             The DNA is always duplicated first. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, has the shape of a double helix, with two chains of sugar-phosphate-sugar-phosphate spiraling down around each other connected by the four base pairs down the middle. Each of the bases is a molecule that, when put together, act not unlike Morse code. With Morse code, one human can tell another anything that they choose to in any language. DNA uses four signals, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine, or A, T, C and G to code the entire works of a cell, as opposed to the dot, dash, space signals of Morse code. In a DNA molecule, A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G. No other combinations have ever been noted. .

             Hypothesis.

             Adding the four DNA bases to a yeast - agar environment will enhance the yeast"s growth.

             What I hope to test with this experiment is if adding the DNA bases enhances yeast"s growth in an agar environment by increasing the availability of materials necessary to begin cell division. This should allow the yeast colony as a whole to begin to thrive. .

             Materials.

             1 package of Red Star Active Dry Yeast.

             Distilled water.

             1 package MV agar from Carolina Biological Supply.

             2 sterile petri dishes.

             ¼g each of adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

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