Instructions

Project 2: Molecular Cascades

Addresses course outcome 1:

• synthesize knowledge of cellular and molecular biological concepts in discussion of scientific studies to reflect the interconnectedness of cell processes and structure

The purpose of this assignment is to test your ability to apply your understanding of cell biology and problem solving. This will be accomplished by having you consider the impact of the types of manipulations of cell systems that biologists routinely perform in an effort to better understand cellular processes.

Scenarios to choose from:

Scenario 1
What would happen if one of the cyclins failed to become inactivated? How would this affect cell cycle? How would this impact events both upstream and downstream of the cell cycle control points regulated by that cyclin?

Scenario 2
What happens if a G protein is unable to hydrolyze GTP? How will this affect the pathway in which the G protein functions? Would activites both upstream and downstream of the G protein be affected?

Scenario 3
The Jak-STAT pathway is an example of a signal transduction pathway. Would a constitutively active form of Janus kinase compensate for the absence of interferon in the pathway. Here, you will need to consider whether the constitutively active kinase is upstream or downstream of the missing component.

Grading (20 points total)

14 points: accuracy of information presented and reasonable level of detail

3 points: clarity/quality of writing

3 points: source material cited

Please choose one of the scenarios above and write a one to two page (single spaced, 12pt font) essay to answer the questions.