1. Environmental Influence on Gene Networks
Lesson 1: Introduction
Created through a partnership between
teachers, students and scientists

2. In What Ways do Cells Change in Response to a Dynamic Environment?
After a week on the beach?
Why?

3. In What Ways do Cells Change in Response to a Dynamic Environment?
Same caterpillar...
Why?

4. Same flamingo...
Why?

5. Same fly...
Why?

6. Same plant...
Why?

7. Same DNA, different fingerprints How can this be?
Identical Twins
Same DNA, different fingerprints How can this be?

8. Which part(s) can change temporarily?

9. WHY does a changing environment have an influence on cells?
What mechanisms are in place to allow cells to change?
How can WE test these?
Mount St. Helens
Nasa.gov

10. Model Organisms
Some biological processes operate exactly the same in many different organisms.
Halobacterium salinarum processes its genetic material in a way that is very similar to the way humans do!

11. Halobacterium salinarum is SAFE for beginning scientists to use.
Model Organisms
Model organisms are relatively simple, but their properties and functions of interest are similar to those in more complex organisms.
Halobacterium salinarum is SAFE for beginning scientists to use.

12. Model Organisms
The environment can also be more easily controlled in model organism studies.

13. Explore How Halo Change in a Dynamic Environment
Which environmental conditions are characteristic for Halo?
What experiment could be feasibly (or fairly easily with our equipment) completed to test how Halo respond to an environmental change?

14. Halobacterium salinarum (name is italicized or underlined)
o   Wild type Halobacterium
o   NRC-1
Good search phrases:  Search the various names above or also “Halobacterium natural conditions”, “Halolophiles environment” or “Halophiles natural conditions”
Other key words that can be used (some alone, some together):  Archaea, salt loving, model organisms, Salt Lake Ecology, Microbiology, halobacteria, high salt environment.