Question

In: Biology

You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the...

You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the license for use of a human GENOMIC DNA fragment putatively encoding a potentially novel protein, which is thought to regulate p53, the known tumor supressor protein. The scientists who originally cloned this GENE fragment HDM5 "claim" that HDM5 shares 90% DNA sequence homology with one of the HDM2 genes (refer to the review Levine & Oren, 2009). They propose that HDM5 may have HDM2-like properties and may be involved in regulating cell proliferation, and thus a good target to potentially develop as a cancer therapy. Your company has asked you to characterize the gene and gene products, as well as to provide an opinion as to its potential human therapeutic uses.

1. Before proceeding, you wish to know whether this gene is actually expressed in humans ?Describe, in detail, 2 efficient experimental approaches to answer this question. ?Discuss whether your proposed methods measure synthesis or accumulation of the product

Solutions

Expert Solution

According to the information, HDM2 and HDM5 share 90% sequence similarities. Thus, it is very likely that the primers designed for one of these genes will cross-react with the other and give an amplicon product. Thus, knowing the band size of these two genes, the researcher can easily distinguish between the expression of these two genes in the target cell system.

Secondarily, in order to evaluate the nature of gene products, a knock out cell system can be created and its protein profiling can be done for investigating the nature of protein absent in the mutant as compared to the wild type. This technique can be performed by using 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry to clearly identify the nature of protein.

In order to investigate if the gene is actually expressed in humans, RFLP primers of this gene can be synthesized and PCR can be performed for investigation of specific amplicon bands on the agarose gel. Presence of the amplicon bands suggests the expression of gene in the human host.

Alternatively, in situ hybridization can also be performed to investigate if the gene is expressed in the human host using chromophoric substrate-enzyme system. Positive cells suggesting expression of the gene will produce the color which can be visualized under microscope.


Related Solutions

You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the...
You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the license for use of a human GENOMIC DNA fragment putatively encoding a potentially novel protein, which is thought to regulate p53, the known tumor supressor protein. The scientists who originally cloned this GENE fragment HDM5 "claim" that HDM5 shares 90% DNA sequence homology with one of the HDM2 genes (refer to the review Levine & Oren, 2009). They propose that HDM5 may have HDM2-like...
You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the...
You are a researcher at a small biotech company and your company has just obtained the license for use of a human GENOMIC DNA fragment putatively encoding a potentially novel protein, which is thought to regulate p53, the known tumor supressor protein. The scientists who originally cloned this GENE fragment HDM5 "claim" that HDM5 shares 93% DNA sequence homology with one of the HDM2 genes (refer to the review Levine & Oren, 2009). They propose that HDM5 may have HDM2-like...
In 2018 a small biotech company has developed a saliva test for Alzheimer's disease, published a...
In 2018 a small biotech company has developed a saliva test for Alzheimer's disease, published a short paper in the journal of Alzheimer's disease, in which they claimed that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen (Advil) can prevent Alzheimer's disease from progressing if the disease is detected early enough. What was the raisonning? How ever other others have suggested that that this claim is misleading, why? Can you show me your sources please.
A small biotech company develops a new treatment for a rare disease. The new treatment is...
A small biotech company develops a new treatment for a rare disease. The new treatment is patented and the company is the sole monopolist in its market. The company can sell the treatment to private pharmacies and public hospitals. Pharmacies’ demand for the treatment is QPD = 84 – 0.4PP while public hospitals’ demand for the treatment is QHD = 116 – 0.6PH. The marginal cost of the new treatment is MC = 20 +2Q. The legislature passes a new...
Your small biotech firm operates a fleet of two specialized delivery vans in Chicago. As a...
Your small biotech firm operates a fleet of two specialized delivery vans in Chicago. As a policy, your firm has decided that the operational life of a van is 3 years (a cycle), and both vans are purchased at the same time to receive discounted fleet pricing. The driving demands placed on the vans are uncertain, as are the maintenance costs, and each van is different in its use, demand, and costs. In the past, the firm has been surprised...
Gus Company has just obtained a request for a special order of 8,000 jigs to be...
Gus Company has just obtained a request for a special order of 8,000 jigs to be shipped at the end of the month at a selling price of $9 each. The company has a production capacity of 90,000 jigs per month. At present, the company is producing and selling 85,000 jigs per month through regular channels at a selling price of $12 each. For these regular sales, the cost for one jig is: Variable production costs $4.60 Fixed production costs...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an investment of $1.7 million. The start-up is expecting to generate free cash flows of $200,000 during the first year. After one year, the insurance companies will decide if the start-up’s drug will be cover in their plans or not. If they decide to not cover the drug, the company will be able to generate free cash flows of $400,000 during the next 12 years...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an investment of $2.1 million. The start-up is expecting to generate free cash flows of $200,000 during the first year. After one year, the insurance companies will decide if the start-up’s drug will be cover in their plans or not. If they decide to not cover the drug, the company will be able to generate free cash flows of $400,000 during the next 12 years...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an investment of $1.7 million. The start-up is expecting to generate free cash flows of $200,000 during the first year. After one year, the insurance companies will decide if the start-up’s drug will be cover in their plans or not. If they decide to not cover the drug, the company will be able to generate free cash flows of $400,000 during the next 12 years...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an...
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an investment of $2.1 million. The start-up is expecting to generate free cash flows of $200,000 during the first year. After one year, the insurance companies will decide if the start-up’s drug will be covered in their plans or not. If they decide to not cover the drug, the company will be able to generate free cash flows of $400,000 during the next 12 years...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT