Question

1. A researcher is interested in elucidating the function of a gene found in humans and has chosen a mouse model. Of what relevance would comparative genomics, BLAST, and synteny be to the researcher?

2. Spemann Organizer and the primitive knot. What is their relevance and how do they differ?

Answer 1

When a mouse model is chosen it is justified to some extent because mouse and human are similar at genetic level out of which could be associated with the similarity function of protein.

• Data shows that the number of exons on both mouse and human is same i.e., 245,200.

• Also, the protein coding genes in both mouse and human is also closely related.Its 25000 in mouse and 24200 in humnas.

• In research ,it is found that about 90% of both the genomes can be caracterised into regions of conserved synteny which shows the strcutural organization of chromosome in common ancestors.And at genetic level certain dala defines a set of genes are mammal specific and hence it creates a basic mammal for both mouse and human.

• Therefore,genomes can be considered as there are many similarity at sequences level and genetic level between mouse and humans.

Answer2:

The Spemann-mangold organizer is the group of cells in the developing embryo which could initiate the induction of  the development of the central nervous system.It is mainly the concept of inducing the development in embryo or embryonic development.

And the primitive knot is the organizer for gastrulation in the vetrebate embryo.