Got Milk? SNPs, Inheritance, and the Evolution of Lactose Tolerance
Lactose Intolerance?
What’s Happening Digestive System
The Genetics Tolerance is a mutation in the LCT gene (Chromosome 2) Everyone has two copes of each gene (maternal and paternal) Each gene has a C or a T at a specific location – This is called a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) – TT and TC = tolerant – CC = intolerant What is an SNP?What is an SNP? Video
The Genetics Chromosome 2 from dad Chromosome 2 from mom LCT T T The individual is lactose TOLERANT
The Genetics Chromosome 2 from dad Chromosome 2 from mom LCT T C The individual is lactose TOLERANT
The Genetics Chromosome 2 from dad Chromosome 2 from mom LCT C C The individual is lactose INTOLERANT
Where is it most prevalent? Prevalence of lactose tolerance and reliance on dairy products vary throughout the world.
Why do we see this pattern? Map shows % intolerance
Natural Selection 1.There is variation of traits in a population 2. There is differential reproduction. 3.There is heredity. 3.End result.
How can we see this in our genes? PCR (polymerase chain reaction – Build copies of the segment that contains the SNP so we can see it What’s in the mix? – Master Mix: Taq, dNTPs, buffer – Primer Mix: 4 primers (two outer primers and two inner primers) PCR Reaction Video The inner primers tell you your genotype
Molecular Cell Biology, Lodish et. al. 4th ed. DNA Replication
The “PCR Building Blocks” A “dNTP mix” contains equal amounts of : dATP dTTP dGTP dCTP Deoxynucleotide-triphosphates: dNTPs
The PCR “Cycle” Denature: o C… Anneal: o C… Extension: 72 o C… Repeat steps 1-3: Separates double helix into two strands Primers bind to target site on single stranded DNA DNA polymerase adds dNTPs according to the base pairing rules (polymerization) 5 to 40 times using a Thermal Cycler
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 After 30 cycles, DNA is amplified over a billion-fold! Target sequence
Cellular DNA Replication PCR vs. Cellular DNA Replication
Tetra-primer ARMS-PCR Procedure for SNPs
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
Dye is added to give the DNA color DNA “Ladder” well #1 well #2 well #3 + _ large DNA fragments small DNA fragments Electron micrograph of an agarose gel Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
The Tetra-Primer System It’s not super “clean” You get primer dimers Inner primers are similar and stick together Ignore them on the gel (they’re smaller than 100 bp) The outer primers are sometimes non-specific The fragments are small! Run the gel for the full time to separate out the bands!
Sample Gel: Focus on the “lac” Lane
How to Interpret the Gel Primer dimers <100 Inner band: 135 (faint) Inner band: 188 Outer band- 268 Extraneous bands at 400, 500