Green Human Project

To: Faculty and Students of Colorado Universities, Colleges, and High Schools
From: Applied Molecular Evolution, Inc.
Re: Request for Proposals for The Green Human Project: Building a Photosynthetic Human
Date: December 1, 2012

Project Objectives: We require a list of design modifications to human anatomy and physiology that would allow humans to carry out photosynthesis to convert solar energy into glucose or other energy-rich molecules.

Project Rationale: Given the current boom in the global human population, food shortages are occurring and will continue to worsen in severity as natural resources such as phosphates and nitrates are depleted.  Alternative sources of nutrition will need to be found that will be sustainable and non-polluting. Solar energy is abundant and nonpolluting, yet currently cannot be directly harvested by humans for metabolic uses. A clear need therefore exists for investigation into anatomical and physiological modifications which allow humans to use solar energy via photosynthesis for basic metabolic needs.

Design Considerations: In order to create a photosynthetic human, we will need a list of biochemical processes and their necessary cellular components that should be engineered into experimental organisms. We will also need to consider the impact that our photosynthetic humans will have upon human societies and the environment. Some of the issues that need to be addressed are as follows:

1. How will light energy be captured? How do plants capture energy and what similar sorts of components would we have to build into our “green human?”  Would photosynthetic humans have to have green skin or could they be some other color? Will additional appendages be required for additional energy-collecting surface area and if so what form should they take? If we are going to have a photosynthetic human, then it needs to have the ability to go through photosynthesis.  First, the human would have to be able to absorb light. Such as plants that use chlorophyll to absorb light. I would think the “green human” would be green because of the chlorophyll.

2. What sub-cellular structures (organelles) are required for photosynthesis and how does their structure promote the process of photosynthesis?

To make this possible we would have to change the way some cells work. Such as putting chlorophyll in cells. Without this it would be impossible to do photosynthesis. We would also need more storage space because we would be producing more. Vacuoles are where everything is stored so probably need more of these. Respiration would also have to change in the human, because we need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis to create the glucose.

3. How will the energy from energy-carrying molecules be used to create energy-storing molecules like glucose? What types of reactions do plants carry out and what are some of the enzymes that we will need to build into our photosynthetic humans?

Once the energy is created we would need somewhere to store it. Such as more vacuoles. We would probably need more metabolism enzymes. Because we would have to store more than actually using the energy.

4. How will our photosynthetic humans use the energy stores (glucose) that they produce? What are the steps in normal human aerobic respiration that allow for release of energy from glucose?

The way i think the energy will be used is the same way we humans use it now. We will still use it when its needed most.  Exercise is one way in the human aerobic respiration allows us to release energy.

5. What public safety and/or ethical issues will need to be addressed during the completion of this project?

This could be a very risky process. Not knowing what the effects will be on the human. We would also have people willing to put there life on risk in order to try this procedure.

Enzyme Action

     This experiment was about measuring the pressure of the oxygen gas as hydrogen peroxide, is destroyed by the enzyme catalase or peroxidase at various enzyme concentrations. For this experiment we used a lot of materials.  We used H2O(water) and H202(alcohol) and yeast, we also needed the computer with the system logger pro on it, so it could graph our reactions. We also used a vernier gas pressure sensor, with a rubber stopper assembly. We also used three test tubes for three different types of reactions. This experiment was divided up into three different groups of experiments. 

The first experiment we did was fill the beaker with with 3ml of water and alcohol. After used the computer and logged onto logger pro. After we used the yeast and put 15 drops of it in the first tube and we put the cap on it to see its reaction. After we graphed it and moved on to the second tube. We put the same amount of water and alcohol in this tube.  But the yeast we increased to 23 drops, and we waited and graphed its reaction. For the last tube we did the same thing, but this time we increased the yeast drastically to 40 drops, and we watched as the graph spiked up. Here is our graph that i made, when we finished all three  reactions. 

For our second experiment we did kind of the same layout. But this time we switched up some of the materials to see what the reactions would do. This time we kept the yeast drops the same amount but changed the temperature of the water. So for the first tube we got 3 ml of alcohol and put it in the tube. Then we put 3 ml of room temperature water in the tube with the alcohol.  After we used 32 drops of the yeast and watched the reaction. After this we moved on to the next one. We put alcohol and the 32 drops of yeast in the test tube with cold water this time. The reaction was very slower than what the others have been. So we graphed it and moved on. The last one we did had the alcohol and the 32 drops of yeast, but this time we added hot hot water to the test tube and watched it react. the reaction rate was very fast. The molecules in the water must have been moving faster. Here is out graph that we made after out experiments were done. It shows the spike in in rate from the different water temperatures. 

Our last experiments we did dealt with most of the same things. But this time we changed the pH balances in all three test tubes. Our first test tube we mixed the 35 drops of yeast with a pH4 substance, that looked like a reddish colored water. After we watched the reaction we moved on to the second one. For our second mixture we had a pH7 substance that was a very light yellow color in the water. We watched it react and graphed it. Our last experiment we used we had a pH10 substance, that was a light blue color in the water. After we graphed it i noticed that the highest pH balance was the most that spiked on the graph. Here is our graph that we made showing the reaction speed of the pH substance with the yeast.

Cells project

For this project we had to talk about the cells. I made a prezi about the different points in a cell. Also how they help it and what their job is. Here is the link to my prezi where you can see what i talked about in my slides about the cells and how they are important to the cell.

 http://prezi.com/hw5isietegs3/cells-project/

Membrane Structure Tutorials

Remember that you can make a copy of this assignment into your own GoogleDocs so that you can edit it and post it to your blog later. When you are logged into Google, in your web browser go to File>Make a copy

Membrane Structure Tutorials

1. Go to http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/MembranePage/index2.htmland read the tutorial on the many types of molecules that come together to make a cell membrane.  Assignment:

Take notes as you carefully read the web page and watch the animations.  This will be in place of a lecture on this topic so make sure you read all sections and watch all the animations provided until you understand the material.

Notes   - the hydrophilic aqueous cytoplasm and the hydrophobic lipid membranes are common in a cell.  Three members of the lipid family of molecules will be discussed in this course: fats (triacylglcerol),phospholipids, and steroids.Lipid molecules are slightly soluble to insoluble in water. Lipids are hydrophobic because the molecules consist of long, 16-18 carbon, hydrocarbon backbones with only a small amount of oxygen containing groups. Lipids serve many functions in organisms. They are the major components of waxes, pigment, steroid hormones, and cell membranes. Fats, steroids, and phospholipids are very important to the functioning of membranes in cells and will be the focus of this tutorial.

: 2. Go to http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/macampbell/111/memb-swf/membranes.swf This site is a tutorial on the molecules that make up cell membranes and the way that they are arranged in cell membranes. Assignment:      Read through the tutorial on membrane structure to see how the variety of molecules fit together in the fluid mosaic model.     As quizzes appear during this tutorial, type in the questions they ask and the correct answer that you chose.

Quiz Questions and Answers:

-Lipids are the primary determinants of membranne structure while proteins carry out membrane function.

Liplids and proteins

-List the molecular componets common to all phosphoglycercles, phosphate, glycerol, and two fatty acids.

Phosphate, glycerol, and two fatty acids 

-Name the three classes of membrane:

 lipids glycolpids, cholestrol,phospholipids.

-What type of bonding dominates interaction between lipids and limits fluidity 

Van der waals forces

-How is asymmetry preserved?

 Lipid heads are hydrophilic, as are exposed portions of proteins 

-How could you identify a transmembrance helix just by examining the amino acid sequence of a protein?

Transmembrane helices can often be identified from a proteins sequence as characteristic streches of two dozen or so hydrophobic amino acids 

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Part 1.

In this part of the activity you will visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s web site to learn about the causes and symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

Use your browser to go to http://www.cff.org/home/

Use the information provided in the “About cystic fibrosis” section to answer the following questions:

1. What are the signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis?
Very Salty tasting Skwein
Persistent coughing, at all times with phlegm
Frequent lung infections
Wheezing or Shortness of Breath
Poor growth/ Weight gain in spite of a good appetite

2. How common is this disorder?
CF is the most common genetic (inherited) disease. Its affects about 30,000 children and adults in the u.s. and approximately 70,000 worldwideddd

3. How is cystic fibrosis diagnosed?
People with cystic fibrosis have between 2 and 5 times the normal amount of salt in their sweat. Doctors can use a sweat test to measure the amount of salt in a person’s sweat. In newborns, doctors can measure the amount of a protein call trypsinogen in the blood

4. How is cystic fibrosis inherited? Does everyone who has a mutant gene for the protein have cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive disorder, which means that both parents must pass on the defective gene for any of their children to get the disease. If a child inherits only one copy of the faulty gene, he or she will be a carrier. Carrier don’t actually have the disease, but they can pass it on to their children

Part 2.

In this part of the activity you will read an article to learn more about cystic fibrosis.

Use your browser to go to:

http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/MRC/3/page3.html

Use the information in this article to answer the following questions:

1. Explain the normal function of the protein that is defective in cystic fibrosis.
The normal function of the defective protein in CF is that the protein provides enough water and salt to the mucus, allowing it to flow and move smoothly out of the lungs and air passages

2. What happens to this protein in CF patients and what are the consequences for the health of these individuals?
Chromosome 7 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes that are part of each person’s genetic makeup. The CF gene causes the production of a protein that lacks an important amino acid.

Part 3.

In this part of the activity you will read about how cystic fibrosis is treated.

Use your browser to go to:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cystic-fibrosis/DS00287

Use the information in the different sections of the article to answer the following questions:

1. Explain at least 3 treatments for the symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

Medicatation up to date.ion:
You can take mucus thinning drugs and antibiotics to keep the mucus moist. Also, you can take bronchodialators to relax the airways

Lung Transplant
When a lung isn’t able to function they need to replace it with a donor

Physical Therapy
Loosening the mucus. Feels better and slows process


2. Discuss at least 3 ways for parents to help their children who have cystic fibrosis.

Three Ways: Drink enough fluids, make sure they wash their hands and are clean, keep immuniz

Microscopes

For this assignment we had to use  the microscope, and when i used the microscope i used a paracite to see if i could use it right. When i finally centered the glass and focused in on it i saw a small brown arm from that paracite.

After this we had to use the microscope again but move it up to a higher power. Witch means that we zoomed in on this paracite and we had to refocus it in. After  this is what i saw with the arm. You can see the lightness around the edges of the arm. Also the darkness right in the middle of it, with a brownish color mixed in with it.

Over all the microscopes are a big help for when we have to look at small substances for a project or a lab. You can really see what the substance is when it is under the microscope.

Osmosis Lab

 This lab was actually pretty cool.  We started by Getting some dialysis tubing. After this i mixed a substance of corn syrup and water into a beaker. Then when i mixed it good i used a pipet to transfer the water from the beaker inter the dialysis tubing. After we tied off the ends of the bags with string.  When this was done we weighed it on the scale.

I weighed it and it came out to be .73 on this scale. When i finished this i filled a beaker full of distilled water and dropped the dialysis tube with the substance in it, into the beaker.  We left it over night to see what would happen. When i came into class the next morning the substance had expanded in the bag.

Then i weighed  the bag again and the substance weighed more that it did the day before. It weighed out to be 1.65 on the scale the second time. After this i concluded that the water from the beaker had gone into the bag to make a reaction with the corn syrup that would expand it. The water level had lowered in the beaker and the water from that went into the bag with the corn syrup in it.