HIV and AIDS – Diseases Ep 2

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus which can eventually lead to development of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, it is not the virus itself which causes AIDS symptoms; HIV weakens the immune system, meaning other infections can take hold more easily. In this article we will look at HIV structure, replication, and development of … Read more

Electrophoresis – Gene Technologies Ep 4

Electrophoresis is a method used to separate fragments of DNA or RNA based on their size (length*) using an electric current. It has applications in processes such as genetic fingerprinting and disease diagnosis. DNA and RNA are negatively charged which means they will move towards a positive electrode. This technique can be used for proteins, … Read more

Producing DNA Fragments – Gene Technologies Ep 1

This article begins a new series about gene technologies. Many gene technologies, especially recombinant DNA technologies, begin with the need to isolate or make DNA fragments. We will look at three different ways that this can be achieved. Restriction enzymes This method allows DNA fragments to be "cut out" of existing DNA. Restriction enzymes, sometimes … Read more

Meiosis – Cell Division Ep 4

Meiosis is a little more complicated than mitosis, and has a different outcome. Meiosis is a method of cell division which only happens in the reproductive organs of organisms which reproduce by sexual reproduction. It produces genetically different gametes with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. These gametes (the egg cells and … Read more

Binary Fission – Cell Division Ep 3

In the last article we looked at mitosis as a method of cell division. However, mitosis can only take place in eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells such as bacteria, which don't have a nucleus, divide by binary fission. This process produces two genetically identical daughter cells from the parent cell, and is a method of asexual … Read more

Mitosis – Cell Division Ep 2

Mitosis is a method of cell division used by multicellular organisms for growth and repair of tissues. Some plants and fungi (and rarely some animals) also use it for asexual reproduction - producing genetically identical offspring from one parent. Mitosis results in two daughter cells which are genetically identical to the parent cell. In this … Read more

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