出版社：Association of College and University Biology Educators
摘要：A clear understanding of basic gene structure is critical when teaching molecular genetics, the central dogma and the biological sciences. We sought to create a gene-based teaching project to improve students‘ understanding of gene structure and to integrate this into a research project that can be implemented by instructors at the secondary level or higher. We modified a previous project performed within a genetics course in which students designed and tested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers based on expressed gene products from specific biochemical pathways. Students used these skills to investigate a gene that they hypothesized would be related to the multiple sclerosis phenotype in humans. They were each required to identify the gene structure (exons and introns) of their selected gene and to design primers around these elements. A total of seven genes hypothesized to interact with the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) phenotype were used to design 154 primers (77 forward and 77 reverse). Based on the structure of each gene, these primers were combined as 83 unique pairs and tested by seven students. A total of 25 pairs were visibly polymorphic and 58 pairs were monomorphic. All materials, including primer design protocols, modifiable gene graphics files, screening preparation documents and assessment information are presented to allow replication of this project.
