QUESTIONS for Mice Can Teach Us about Human Disease

brown mouse

Genome Research Limited

SCIENCE

Before reading

1.         What easily recognizable traits did you inherit from your parents?

2.         You might have heard someone say, “I don’t want to be a guinea pig.” What does the expression mean?

During reading

1.         What does phenogenomics mean?

2.         Using a mouse as an example, explain its basic phenotype.

3.         What percentage of our genes do we share with mice?

4.         Explain what phenotyping means.

5.         What type of instructions do genes provide?

6.         List several diseases in which genes play a role.

7.         How do you create a “knock-out” mouse?

8.         Where are A, T, C and G found and what do the letters stand for?

9.         How would you create a new strain of mice?

After reading

1.         The article states it would violate many beliefs, values and laws to breed people for research. Why? Provide a full explanation.

2.         Hearing loss, hip problems, cataracts or other health problems often afflict certain breeds of dogs. How could genomics explain why such ailments are so common in some dog breeds, but not in others?

MATHEMATICS

1.         Using the information provided in this article, calculate the number of mouse and human genes that are the same or similar.