Life-sciences

  Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Unveiling the Blueprint of Precision DNA Amplification In the world of molecular biology, few techniques have had as profound an impact as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This revolutionary process, developed in the mid-1980s by Kary B. Mullis, has transformed the field of genetics, medicine, forensic science, and countless other disciplines. By allowing scientists to amplify specific DNA sequences with incredible precision, PCR has unlocked new frontiers in research, diagnostics, and technology development. Understanding PCR: The Molecular Copy Machine At its core, PCR is a molecular copy machine that enables the rapid amplification of a specific segment of DNA. It achieves this through a repetitive cycling process that generates millions to billions of copies of the target DNA sequence. The beauty of PCR lies in its simplicity and versatility, making it a cornerstone technique in modern molecular biology laboratories. The Components of PCR ...

Thalassemia minor is a heterozygous condition in which one of the two alleles carries a mutant gene sequence. The carrier of beta-thalassemia minor does not show the severe symptoms of beta-thalassemia. However, if a beta-thalassemia carrier individual marries a thalassemia carrier woman, there is a 25% chance to transfer the disease to their offspring.  Screening of beta-thalassemia minor Carriers of beta-thalassemia may experience milder anemia and have fewer RBCs as compared to non-carrier individuals. In order to decrease the incidence of beta-thalassemia major, carriers must be screened for beta-thalassemia traits before marriage. Carrier counseling should be recommended to married couples to overcome the higher incidence of beta-thalassemia. There are different types of screening programs implemented at the national level including pre-marital screening, antenatal screening, and prenatal screening to control the rapidly increasing prevalence of beta-thalassemia. The pr...

Today, Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent hemoglobinopathies affecting millions of people worldwide. Thalassemia has become a major health concern globally. 65, 000 children are born with beta-thalassemia major every year. The prevalence of beta-thalassemia is increasing day by day due to a lack of awareness, increasing population, and cousin marriages. According to statistical reports, 1 of 100,000 individuals suffers from beta-thalassemia major worldwide. Thalassemia is characterized by a substitution mutation in the beta-globin gene. Hemoglobin supplies oxygenated blood throughout our bodies.  Symptoms of Beta Thalassemia Symptoms of beta-thalassemia include Pallor, hypoxia, jaundice, fatigue, and loss of appetite. The person suffering from beta-thalassemia requires regular blood transfusion once a week to survive. Due to continuous blood transfusion, there is an excess iron built up resulting in toxicity to other body organs including the liver, heart, pancreas, etc. So, ...

Genes are regulated by transcription regulators and enhancers. However, several other mechanisms are involved to functionally express a gene. Suppose a script is directed by specific regulators to express a particular gene sequence. If a cell is meant to produce a specific protein, the gene will be activated to produce a certain trait or protein. The false gene regulation can result into certain disorders, one of the predominant examples is cancer. In cancer, the transcription factors regulating cell division are mutated.   Difference between genetics and epigenetics Genetics is the transfer of genetic information from parent to offspring whereas epigenetic involves the process that control gene expression. The environment has a great influence on the expression of genes. So, if two individual are genetically similar, there may be a greater differences regarding the phenotypes due to changes in the gene expression. The genetic material is same but the expression is different. ...

Cloning is a biological term used to make multiple copies of a particular organism by using the asexual method. Cloning can be of different types including bacterial cloning, fission, etc. We can use the process to make multiple copies of a particular gene by using a particular vector i.e., E.coli. The most commonly used biological vectors are plasmids (extrachromosomal structures in bacteria).                                        The first animal was cloned by splitting embryos in a test tube and the resulting embryos were transferred to the womb of adult female mice. Following that, biologists produced several other animals including cows, sheep, cattle, horses, mules, ox, etc. The nucleus can be transferred to the recipient organism by using two methods. One of the methods involves the removal of the nucleus by injecting a needle and transferring it to another cell. The second metho...

Crispr stands for clustered regularly Interspaced Palindromic Regions, while cas9 is a restriction enzyme cutting DNA from a specific site. The Crispr sequences are derived from bacteriophages affecting bacteria previously, bacterium recognizes the sequences and degrades it. One of the major contributions regarding crispr-cas9 was brought about by an eminent biochemist and geneticist Jennifer Duodna and a French researcher Emmenuella Cherpentier. They were also awarded with Nobel Prize for their remarkable contributions to science in 2020. Crispr-Cas9 is one of the latest gene-editing tools to cure genetic disorders by genetic manipulation. The process takes place naturally in bacterium as a defensive mechanism against viruses. During the process, guide RNA binds with specific complementary sequence resulting in the formation of RNA-DNA hybrid, guide RNA makes sure that DNA should be cut from the specific site. Consequently, complex is degraded by the enzyme cas9. Repair mechanism...

 Antimicrobial Resistance  Antimicrobial Resistance is the ability of a microbe to resist antibiotics designed to kill or prevent the growth of the microbe. AMR is a global problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. In the United States, AMR is a serious health concern affecting around 3 million people.  Microbes attain antimicrobial resistance due to the over-dosage of antibiotics resulting in resistance to pathogens. A more important cause of antimicrobial resistance is the genetic change in the microbe's genome, which may cause antimicrobial resistance. Due to the advent of multidrug-resistant bacteria, infectious diseases are being more prevalent affecting the health system severely worldwide.  What are Superbugs Superbugs are micro-organisms resistant to a variety of antibiotics. If we are faced with the emergence of such a kind of superbug, it would be a challenge for us to control the spread of the pathogen.  How can we prevent AMR We can...