DNA to Disease

The Process: 

Over a couple of weeks, our group was assigned the task of researching and presenting a disease that is caused by protein development in the body. Our group decided to research the Marfan Syndrome. We started by learning the basics of protein production by looking at DNA's structure and RNA. We then learned about the processes of transcription, translation, and protein folding. From there, we focused on how these processes cause Marfan syndrome and presented our knowledge to our class through a slide/poster. Here's our final product and our research behind it: 

Content:

Transcription - How the cell makes an RNA copy of the DNA. This is needed as the protein is made in the ribosome, but the information to make it is in the nucleus.

Translation - the process in which a cell makes proteins using a replicated genetic code in the mRNA, and making an amino acid sequence out of the codons.

Protein Folding -  A process in which a polypeptide becomes a three-dimensional structure and becomes biologically active.

Protein synthesis - How cells make proteins. It explains the full process from translation to protein folding.

DNA -  A molecule that contains genetic code which is unique to every individual.  The DNA code for leptin is AAG-AGG-CCT-CAA-AGA-AAC-AGC.

mRNA-  A type of RNA that carries the genetic information needed to make a protein.  the mRNA code for leptin is UUC-UCC-GGA-GUU-UCU-UUC-UCG.

tRNA - A type of RNA that serves as the link between the mRNA molecule and the amino acids that make up the protein. It matches the mRNA codons to what the amino acids code for. 

Mutations - A mutation happens when there is an error in protein synthesis. They can be harmful, like frameshift mutations which change the codons, in turn changing the amino acid sequence. or Harmless like a silent mutation, in where a nucleotide gets changed, but it codes for the same amino acid. 

Type 2 Diabetes - A condition where there is a problem in the way the body regulates and uses sugar as a fuel.

Research - Diving deep into existing/new knowledge to synthesize and further understand the topic. we researched in depth about type 2 diabetes.

Reflection: Overall, the project went well. At first, I felt a bit lost because I didn't receive much help from my team, but we eventually collaborated effectively to finish it. Our teamwork was a highlight, with everyone contributing equally. For instance, while I focused on writing, a teammate handled formatting, and others started on the next topic. I also gained a deeper understanding of protein synthesis, which helped with studying for tests. However, I could have improved by translating the protein faster, which slowed us down unnecessarily. Better time management would have helped too; I spent too long on research and not enough on the slideshow. Effective communication was crucial; expressing my concerns to my teammates led to a more balanced workload. Checking in daily ensured we stayed on track. Critical thinking played a role as I navigated formatting challenges and delved into our research topic Marfan syndrome. I used a mix of old and new resources to enhance our understanding. I aim to learn from this experience to improve future projects.