Gene Regulation

Cole Barney, Logan campos, Karym Cruz, Sebastian Lopez

 Background
•Cells contain a complete copy of DNA and have access to all genes needed for light

•Cells don’t use all of the genes at the same time because not all products are needed all along. It
would also take a lot of energy to use all of the genes.

•Signal molecules activate protein production in cells. siRNA are complementary to segments of
genes, they pair with it, and block it. Sometimes, the environment can interfere , like in
photosynthesis.

•People with sickle cell disease form sickle shaped cells which don’t carry oxygen effectively. One
way to cure this is to suppress the adult version of the hemoglobin and use the fetal version.
 Pre-Lab
Lab Question: What is the effect of light on the expression of chlorophyll?

IV: Amount of sunlight or darkness the seeds get,

DV: Plant growth and Amount of chlorophyll
amount of water and amount of seeds in each
cup.

Prediction: If we let some seeds germinate in the light and some in the dark, then seeds in the
light will express the chlorophyll than the ones in the dark

Hypothesis: Because all plants need light to express chlorophyll.

Experimental design: Make your self watering system using
the two pieces of felt and stapling the together. Cut half of a Constants: Amount of water, dirt and
water bottle open and stick the top half top side up in the seeds in each bottle,type of water, type
bottom half. Stick your fely pieces into the drinking hole. of soil.
Add enough water to the bottom half to where the water
touches the drinking hole and tape together. Add a
generous amount of dirt on the square piece of the felt and
the add 10 seeds. Cover the seeds and water them. Once
your done either put your seeds in the cabinet or in the
 Data and results
After conducting our experiment, the plants that were exposed to light expressed chlorophyll
whereas the plants that were not exposed to light did not express chlorophyll. Another difference
there was between the trials was that the plants that were exposed to light were not as tall as the
plants that were not exposed to light.

Light No light
total plants
grown: 20 36
tallest one(cm): 6 13
smallest
one(cm): 2 2
average (cm) 3.5 9
chlorophyll
expression: 100% 0%
 C-E-R
When there is light the chlorophyll gene is expressed and when there is no light the chlorophyll
gene is not expressed because when there was light 100% of the shoots were green while in
contrast 0% of shoots were green. The plants don't express chlorophyll in the dark because the
enzyme to make chlorophyll needs light.
 Discussion
Our evidence supported our hypothesis. We had some errors such as that One of the water bottles had around 30
seeds while all the others had 10 seeds. Most of the seeds were the correct amount except for one, so it was
pretty conclusive lab on gene expression. Based on our research we know not to grow plants without light.