https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00527 SUMMARY: In 2003, scientists discovered that giant viruses infected amoebas. These giant viruses are so big that they were mistaken for bacteria for the longest time. It wasn’t until scientists realized they contained no ribosomal DNA that these organisms were reclassified as viruses. From there, even more giant viruses were discovered. Some of the… Continue reading Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages
Category: Inheritance 4: Population Genetics (HS)
Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.
Sexual reproduction in parasitic protists
Sexual reproduction and genetic exchange in parasitic protists SUMMARY: Sexual reproduction is often murky in parasites because it’s difficult to observe. There are two other ways to determine if an organism has sex: differences in genomes and genes for meiosis. However, in parasites, there are exceptions to this rule in that some organisms may have… Continue reading Sexual reproduction in parasitic protists
De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation
De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation SUMMARY: Chlamydomonas are common, single-celled green algae that are flagellated and can move around. They’re a strange cross between plants and protists. In this study, scientists subjected chlamydomonas to predation by paramecia (common freshwater ciliates) and observed that after about 750 generations, the chlamydomonas took on… Continue reading De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation
Environmental DNA sequencing primers for eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifers
Environmental DNA sequencing primers for eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifers SUMMARY: This article talked about using soil eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifer primers to quickly and easily identify these organisms directly. Due to the fact that there are so many types of microorganisms in soil, many of which are still unidentified and unable to be cultured in… Continue reading Environmental DNA sequencing primers for eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifers
The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions
The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions SUMMARY: This article talks about the evolution, cell structure, and ecological role of diatoms. The first section is an introduction to what diatoms are. The second section talks about the evolution of photosynthesis (from cyanobacteria to eukaryotes with chloroplast). The third section explains the significance of the… Continue reading The evolution of diatoms and their biogeochemical functions
Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences
Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences SUMMARY: This study was a twin study. The researchers looked at different elements of the immune system: T-cells, NK cells, B-cells, cytokines, etc. and saw that the development of these cells were influenced by non-heritable factors such as the environment and random epigenetic… Continue reading Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences