Finding Your Genotype

BIOLOGY 210A
Principles of Heredity Lab Report
Finding Your Genotype

1. Fill out the table below with your phenotype and genotype.
   Characteristic Phenotype Genotype
   Tongue rolling
   Ability to fold the tongue
   Attached or unattached
   earlobes
   Eye color
   Widow’s Peak
   Hitchhiker’s thumb
   Thumb crossing
   X-linked Traits
2. Take the colorblindness test at the Colorblindness Test link and answer the
   questions below.
3. Regarding the colorblindness test, what Is your phenotype (normal color
   vision/colorblind)?
   a. If you are female, what is your possible genotype? Explain why.
   b. If you are male, what is your possible genotype? Explain why.
   Pedigree
4. Fill out the pedigree in your lab manual, take a picture, and paste your picture
   below.
   DNA Sequencing
   Read the Analysis of DNA Sequencing Data of a “Mystery Gene” section in your lab
   manual. Select two chromatograms from the PowerPoint provided in the instructions
   and answer the following questions:
   Mystery Gene #:
5. Convert the colored peaks on the DNA sequence into DNA nucleotides and
   write the DNA sequence below. Be careful to include every DNA nucleotide in
   the correct order.
6. Once you have your gene’s sequence, visit the NCBI webpage that houses
   public databases and software tools used to search for and analyze biological
   data.
7. Click on the BLAST tab at the top of the homepage. The Basic Local Alignment
   Tool (BLAST) is a sequence similarity search program that can be used to
   compare all known nucleotide sequences (for DNA) or amino acid sequences
   (for protein) in the NCBI database to a specific sequence you have an interest in.
   BLAST provides statistical information to help you decipher the biological
   significance of the resulting alignment.
8. Select the option for “nucleotide blast.”
9. Type your sequence in from left to right in the space under “Enter Query
   Sequence.”
10. Check that the database being queried is “human genome plus transcript
    (Human G + T)” and the Program is optimized for “Highly similar sequences
    (megablast).” Click on the BLAST tab and wait.
11. Scroll down and get the sequences producing significant alignments. You will
    see transcripts at the top and genomic sequences below. “Transcripts” refer to
    sequences that are predicted or proven to code for messenger RNA. Genomic
    sequences simply refer to the DNA – it can be coding or noncoding.
12. Click on the accession number (beginning with NM) of your highest hit (this
    should be the first transcript). You are now ready to record some information
    about your gene.
13. Identify the name of the gene (sometimes called “definition”).
14. Click on “Gene” in the lower right-hand corner under “Related Information.” This
    shows you where your gene is located on a human chromosome. Identify what
    chromosome your gene is located on.
15. Conduct a Google Search for your gene and find out what genetic disease is
    associated with your gene.
    Repeat these steps for your second Mystery Gene.
    Mystery Gene #:
16. Convert the colored peaks on the DNA sequence into DNA nucleotides and
    write the DNA sequence below. Be careful to include every DNA nucleotide in
    the correct order.
17. Once you have your gene’s sequence, visit the NCBI webpage that houses
    public databases and software tools used to search for and analyze biological
    data.
18. Click on the BLAST tab at the top of the homepage. The Basic Local Alignment
    Tool (BLAST) is a sequence similarity search program that can be used to
    compare all known nucleotide sequences (for DNA) or amino acid sequences
    (for protein) in the NCBI database to a specific sequence you have an interest in.
    BLAST provides statistical information to help you decipher the biological
    significance of the resulting alignment.
19. Select the option for “nucleotide blast.”
20. Type your sequence in from left to right in the space under “Enter Query
    Sequence.”
21. Check that the database being queried is “human genome plus transcript
    (Human G + T)” and the Program is optimized for “Highly similar sequences
    (megablast).” Click on the BLAST tab and wait.
22. Scroll down and get the sequences producing significant alignments. You will
    see transcripts at the top and genomic sequences below. “Transcripts” refer to
    sequences that are predicted or proven to code for messenger RNA. Genomic
    sequences simply refer to the DNA – it can be coding or noncoding.
23. Click on the accession number (beginning with NM) of your highest hit (this
    should be the first transcript). You are now ready to record some information
    about your gene.
24. Identify the name of the gene (sometimes called “definition”).
25. Click on “Gene” in the lower right-hand corner under “Related Information.” This
    shows you where your gene is located on a human chromosome. Identify what
    chromosome your gene is located on.
26. Conduct a Google Search for your gene and find out what genetic disease is
    associated with your gene.