Module 2: Genetics
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lab, students should be able to:
- Identify stages of the Drosophila melanogaster life cycle.
- Identify the purpose of the imaginal discs in the third instar larva.
- Dissect third instar larvae and extract the imaginal discs and brain
- Prepare PCR reactions that can amplify portions of the genome starting with very small amounts of DNA.
- Interpret PCR data to determine genotypes based on the DNA fingerprints
- Use DNA fingerprints to identify parents and offspring from a cross.
- Describe the usefulness of SNPs in creating unique DNA fingerprints.
- Prepare PCR reactions that will amplify significant regions of a gene.
- Use software to study gene structure and function.
- Use software to design primers for a PCR assay.
- Identify the criteria required to amplify a region of interest in your gene.
- Explain the characteristics of ideal primers for PCR reactions.
- Explain the PCR mechanism more deeply by creating primers that are functional in a PCR reaction.
