Genetics Thread!

Chatterbox: Down to Earth

Genetics Thread!

Genetics Thread!

This is a place to talk about anything and everything related to genetics--GMOs, protein synthesis, ethical concerns, mutations, genetic diseases, cancer, punnett squares, natural selection...literally everything.

 

submitted by Lyric, age :D, major genetics obsession
(May 4, 2024 - 12:27 pm)

Punnet squares!! I actually sorta love Punnet squares :) it's so crazy how you can figure out the probability of different phenotypes just by looking at the dominant and recessive genes though!! And how the dominant gene is always... dominant. I thought it'd be much more random than that, but it's so... organized. And so Punnet squares always feel like magic to me :)

note: I literally just started learning DNA soo... 

what's a GMO? Is that food-related??

submitted by CelineBurning Bright, :)
(May 5, 2024 - 1:40 am)

Top! AAA YES I also love Punnett Squares!! There are some exceptions where a dominant and an expected to be recessive allele both are dominant (e.g. a red flower and a white flower make a red and white striped flower) or a dominant allele isn't completely dominant (e.g. A red flower and a white flower make a pink flower).

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. For example, a pineapple that has gotten some extra genes from another organism to make it pink, or a soy plant that is pest resistant for the same reason. I think this only applies to America, but if a food has a GMO, the company is required to write "Contains a bioengineered ingredient" on the ingredient list. If they're being a bit sneaky, they'll put a QR code that tells you to scan for more ingredient information. I scanned one once, and it took me to a page that only said: this contains a bioengineered food ingredient. There is some controversy over the safety of GMO, partly because there hasn't been enough testing on it (hence, the Non-GMO label on foods that verifies it hasn't been genetically altered). Personally, I try to avoid GMO because it gave my family some weird health effects when we were eating it, and there was this one study on mice or rats where GMO food caused cancerous tumors. 

 

submitted by Topoisomerase, age :D, DNA obsession
(May 5, 2024 - 11:29 am)