Chapter 6: Intelligence
Ridley debates if intelligence is natural that is inherited from genes or if intelligence can be trained. An evidence he found is from a gene called IGF2R located on chromosome 6 that can be found in a group if gifted children chosen from all over America because they have IQ's closed to 160. The different sequence in the IGF2R is what separated these kids from the average people. Studies have also shown that on separated twin that heritability influence intelligence and personality. Ridley also mentions that intelligences gens are more expressive later in life because people can choose their own environments and comfort zones which allows the genes to express themselves more because they are more free.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Genome Entries 4
Chapter: X and Y Conflict
The X and Y chromosomes attracts genes that are beneficial to that sex. The Y chromosomes attracts genes that benefits the male gender such as masculine genes but the x chromosome instead attracts genes that benefit the female gender such as genes that benefit reproduction. The X and Y chromosomes always fight each other for expressions. The Y chromosome is out numbered, so it minimized itself to protect itself from the X chromosomes who numbered them times 3. An example of two genes fighting can be seen in the sexual Antagonism of Fruit Flies. When fruit flies mate, the male's seminal fluid enters the female and in the male's seminal fluid, the proteins enter the bloodstream and travels to the brain of the female. The male proteins tells the female fly to reduce her sexual appetite and increase her ovulation rate. So the male fly is trying to manipulate the female into laying eggs for his sperm and stop reproduction with other flies. This is because of the influence of the Y chromosome in the male. But the female is under selective pressure to be more resistant to the manipulation and the outcome ends in a stalemate. From this information, William Rice did an experiment in which he prevented female flies from evolving resistance while allowing males to generate more effective seminal fluid proteins. He tested the fruits after 29 generations. The results: the male sperm was now so strong that it easily manipulated the female and could even kill her.
The X and Y chromosomes attracts genes that are beneficial to that sex. The Y chromosomes attracts genes that benefits the male gender such as masculine genes but the x chromosome instead attracts genes that benefit the female gender such as genes that benefit reproduction. The X and Y chromosomes always fight each other for expressions. The Y chromosome is out numbered, so it minimized itself to protect itself from the X chromosomes who numbered them times 3. An example of two genes fighting can be seen in the sexual Antagonism of Fruit Flies. When fruit flies mate, the male's seminal fluid enters the female and in the male's seminal fluid, the proteins enter the bloodstream and travels to the brain of the female. The male proteins tells the female fly to reduce her sexual appetite and increase her ovulation rate. So the male fly is trying to manipulate the female into laying eggs for his sperm and stop reproduction with other flies. This is because of the influence of the Y chromosome in the male. But the female is under selective pressure to be more resistant to the manipulation and the outcome ends in a stalemate. From this information, William Rice did an experiment in which he prevented female flies from evolving resistance while allowing males to generate more effective seminal fluid proteins. He tested the fruits after 29 generations. The results: the male sperm was now so strong that it easily manipulated the female and could even kill her.
Genome Entries 3
Chapter 13 Pre-Hisotry
In this chapter, Ridley talks about how the expansion of people across Europe and Asia throughout time is related to genetic variation. There is a family connection between the three families off Indo-European, Altaic, and Uralic in which it came from a single language spoken throughout Eurasia 15,000 years ago by hunter-gathering people. Genes support the evidence that expansions and migrations of human beings with technological skills is a important part of human evolution and it also affects evolution. For example the males of the Northern Finland have a different distinct Y chromosome then other Europeans but looks much more like the Y chromosomes of northern Asian people. This is because in the past, Finland was a place where the Uralic language was imposed on. BRCA2 is a gene on chromosome 13. It is a breast cancer gene and was common and high among the Iceland populations.
In this chapter, Ridley talks about how the expansion of people across Europe and Asia throughout time is related to genetic variation. There is a family connection between the three families off Indo-European, Altaic, and Uralic in which it came from a single language spoken throughout Eurasia 15,000 years ago by hunter-gathering people. Genes support the evidence that expansions and migrations of human beings with technological skills is a important part of human evolution and it also affects evolution. For example the males of the Northern Finland have a different distinct Y chromosome then other Europeans but looks much more like the Y chromosomes of northern Asian people. This is because in the past, Finland was a place where the Uralic language was imposed on. BRCA2 is a gene on chromosome 13. It is a breast cancer gene and was common and high among the Iceland populations.
Genome Entries 2
Chapter 10 Stress
In this chapter Ridley mentions that when the body needs to convert cholesterol into cortisol, testosterone, and oestradiol, it uses a gene called CYP17 located on chromosome 10. CYP17 najes an enzyme that allows the body to make this conversion happen. Without the enzyme, the pathway are blocked and the only progeserone and corticosterone are made from cholesterol. For ex. people who don't a have a copy of this gene cannot make sex hormones so they can't go through puberty, and if hes a male then he would look like a girl. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It interrogates the body and mind by changing the configuration of the brain, changes he sensitibity of the ears, noses, and eyes, and interferes with the immune system. Cortisol is released when the brain signals stress and sets off triggers, which are basically turning genes on and off. If you have a lot of cortisol in your bloodstream, there a high chance you can get heart disease. This explains why some people get heart problems if they are really stress, mad, or even emotional.
In this chapter Ridley mentions that when the body needs to convert cholesterol into cortisol, testosterone, and oestradiol, it uses a gene called CYP17 located on chromosome 10. CYP17 najes an enzyme that allows the body to make this conversion happen. Without the enzyme, the pathway are blocked and the only progeserone and corticosterone are made from cholesterol. For ex. people who don't a have a copy of this gene cannot make sex hormones so they can't go through puberty, and if hes a male then he would look like a girl. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It interrogates the body and mind by changing the configuration of the brain, changes he sensitibity of the ears, noses, and eyes, and interferes with the immune system. Cortisol is released when the brain signals stress and sets off triggers, which are basically turning genes on and off. If you have a lot of cortisol in your bloodstream, there a high chance you can get heart disease. This explains why some people get heart problems if they are really stress, mad, or even emotional.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Genome Entries 1
Chapter 15: Sex
Matt Ridley starts off the the chapter by introducing two different genetic diseases; Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman's syndrome. Children with Prader-Willi syndrome are born floppy and pale-skinned, refused to feed on breast milk but feed uncontrollably on food so much that they become obese, have small hands and feet, and have undeveloped sex organs. Angelman's syndrome is the complete opposite of Prader-Willi syndrome as the child becomes extremely thin, hyperactive, insomniac, small headed, long jawed, they move and laugh goofy, but they don't learn to speak, and are mentally retarded. Both of these syndromes sometimes appear in the same family tree. It is later discovered that in both syndrome, a same chunk of chromosome 15 was missing, but in Prader-Willi, the missing chunk was from the father chromosome while the mother chromosome was missing for the Angelman syndrome. This lead to a conclusion by scientist that genes remembers which parent it came because of its paternal imprint or maternal imprint. The imprinted version is switched on and the other versions is switched off in order for the body to express one gene. If it inherits from the father it will most likely cause Prader-Willi and if its from the mother it will cause Angelman syndrome. Anothe example is patneral genes that are inherit from the father are responsible for making the placenta and the maternal gene is responsible for making the head and brain of the embryo. This shows that our parents genes can affect and determine who we are as a person.
Matt Ridley starts off the the chapter by introducing two different genetic diseases; Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman's syndrome. Children with Prader-Willi syndrome are born floppy and pale-skinned, refused to feed on breast milk but feed uncontrollably on food so much that they become obese, have small hands and feet, and have undeveloped sex organs. Angelman's syndrome is the complete opposite of Prader-Willi syndrome as the child becomes extremely thin, hyperactive, insomniac, small headed, long jawed, they move and laugh goofy, but they don't learn to speak, and are mentally retarded. Both of these syndromes sometimes appear in the same family tree. It is later discovered that in both syndrome, a same chunk of chromosome 15 was missing, but in Prader-Willi, the missing chunk was from the father chromosome while the mother chromosome was missing for the Angelman syndrome. This lead to a conclusion by scientist that genes remembers which parent it came because of its paternal imprint or maternal imprint. The imprinted version is switched on and the other versions is switched off in order for the body to express one gene. If it inherits from the father it will most likely cause Prader-Willi and if its from the mother it will cause Angelman syndrome. Anothe example is patneral genes that are inherit from the father are responsible for making the placenta and the maternal gene is responsible for making the head and brain of the embryo. This shows that our parents genes can affect and determine who we are as a person.
Double Fetilization
In Fertilization, two male gametes are brought to the oval sac. One of the gametes fertilize with the egg cell to form an embryo and the other gamete fertilized with the polar nuclei cells to form endosperm, which is used to provide nourishment for the embryo.
In Double Fertilization, one sperm combines with the egg whole the other sperm combines with the endosperm. Double fertilization is required because seeds needs to be germinated and it needs the extra sperm in order for it to germinate.
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp39/3902001.html
http://www.science20.com/news_releases/fbl17_discovery_gene_behind_%E2%80%98plant_sex_mystery%E2%80%99
In Double Fertilization, one sperm combines with the egg whole the other sperm combines with the endosperm. Double fertilization is required because seeds needs to be germinated and it needs the extra sperm in order for it to germinate.
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp39/3902001.html
http://www.science20.com/news_releases/fbl17_discovery_gene_behind_%E2%80%98plant_sex_mystery%E2%80%99
Blog 5 Why is it important to define and debate our understanding of intelligence and its origins? How does this relate to you
It is important to understand and debate where our intelligence IQ comes from because sometimes debating about it can help motivate you and help you find out what your intelligence strength are and you intelligence weakness are. When one debates about intelligence, you argue if intelligence is nurture or natural born. In chapter 6 of Genome, Matt Ridley argues that IQ is natural and comes from the gene that influence intelligent. Ridley uses a group of gifted teenager with 160 IQ's gather from all over America as an example. There, Robert Plomin took their blood samples and discover that their chromosome 6 has has a slightly different sequence then chromosome other peoples chromosome 6. But Ridley also debated against his own argument stating that IQ does not tell how smart a person is. Intelligence can be influenced with practice, learning, and the right environments and conditions.
Everyone learns differently and it is important to figure out what learning styles suits us best in order to help us learn faster and more effectively. We can use our intelligence because intelligence help us determine our learning style. There are different types of intelligence such as scientific intelligence, musical intelligence, mathematical intelligence, visual intelligence, athletic intelligence, audio intelligence, etc. Me, personally, I think I am a mathematical intelligence because I have to follow organized steps by steps direction in order to understand things.
Everyone learns differently and it is important to figure out what learning styles suits us best in order to help us learn faster and more effectively. We can use our intelligence because intelligence help us determine our learning style. There are different types of intelligence such as scientific intelligence, musical intelligence, mathematical intelligence, visual intelligence, athletic intelligence, audio intelligence, etc. Me, personally, I think I am a mathematical intelligence because I have to follow organized steps by steps direction in order to understand things.
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