Category Archives: DNA
Essential Biology 03 – Chemistry of Life uploaded
Part 3 of the revision guide for 2009 session IB Diploma Biology is here:
essential-biology-03-chemistry-of-life.doc
To the right of this page there are also new updates specifically aimed at IBDP Bio – separate pages for each topic in the syllabus. I’ll try to get these as complete as possible as soon as possible, but things might be a bit quiet round here in the run-up to the exams.
If you dowload the document, let me know how you get on.
Gene Almanac – a resource of good animations and simulations
From the Dolan Learning Centre, this collection of animations and simulations can be downloaded easily for PC and MAC.
Clicking the image on the left should bring you directly to an animation about the polymerase chain reaction.
DNA Replication: linklist
There are stacks of DNA replication animations on the internet. Here are a few good ones.
John Kyrk (HL, very detailed and good)
New Century College (simple, clear) This school sounds interesting.
Biology 7th edition from McGraw Hill
Bioteach (cartoony, but has it all)
Remember – DNA replication is NOT Protein Synthesis – it doesn’t involve transcription and translation!
A new year, a new beginning (of all life on Earth)
Two short clips of Miller-Urey’s experiments demonstrating the formation of amino acids from water, ammonia and hydrogen (with a little help from lightning). The evidence produced by this experiment supported the hypothesis of chemical evolution – the formation of organic compounds from inorganic molecules.
Thanks to Hilary Rimbi from the IB’s OCC for posting this link. 
A quick Google search turned up this short clip of Stanley Miller describing the experimental set-up.
If you click here, you can also try a simulation of the experiment (can be saved with Flashcatcher). This little Flash was produced by the University of California at San Diego’s TV channel. I haven’t had time to search through their site, but there may be more useful nuggets of Science gold there.
Recombinant DNA Technology
Here are some animations about rDNA technology. More direct links below the video.
University of Delaware (thanks to biology_sparkly at the TES Boards) Basic animation but lots of relevant info. Can be saved.
rDNA and plasmid and phage vectors from the Royal Veterinary College (more animations on the left of their page)
John Kyrk – Cell Biology Animation
This guy has spent a lot of time and effort on these animations, and they are brilliant.
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Visit his main page at www.johnkyrk.com and you’ll find all you need for IB Bio HL Cells and Chemistry of Life.
Protein Synthesis: Transcription and Translation linklist
There are many decent Flash animations and the like on the internet, but the majority cannot be embedded. Below this YouTube video, there are some direct links to resources, some of which can be easily saved.
Learn.Genetics @ Utah
Transcribe and Translate (good, basic, interactive)
How do fireflies glow? (puts it in context)
University of Nebraska:
Protein Synthesis overview (Good enough for SL)
Transcription Details (fits DP Bio HL very well)
Translation Details (fits DP Bio HL very well)
John Kyrk: (visit the parent site at www.johnkyrk.com – excellent)
Transcription (fits DP Bio HL very well)
Translation (fits DP Bio HL very well)
St. Olaf College
Transcription (clear and simple)
Translation (clear and simple)
WH Freeman
RNA Splicing tutorial (HL only)
Bio3400
Translation with a genetic code dictionary (shows position in the ribosome)
Some more in-depth animations (newly added):
Translation from Wiley Interscience
Translation from LSU Medschool
Translation from The Chinese University in Hong Kong
Protein targeting from Rockefeller University
Learn.Genetics @ Utah
Easily the best Genetics resource out there. Loads of Flash animations, Shockwave virtual labs and up-to-date information. Well worth spending some time there and seeing what could be used in class. Teachers can register for news and teaching ideas.
Virtual labs include DNA Extraction, Gel Electrophoresis and a DNA Microarray. Perfect for the DP Genetics unit.
DNA Extraction: a simple method and a music video
A simple DNA extraction worksheet is posted in the BOX on the right.
Alternatively, go here.
This video shows a guy extracting pea DNA and using it to draw a portrait of Darwin.
(Music Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Tick)
Hip-Hip-Hooray for DNA
I don’t know how sincere this is – it sounds like it might’ve been heavily influenced by Monty Python – but it’s catchy and I like it. Peter Weatherall has a few if these on YouTube, so go and have a look.
Another catchy one (this time about photosynthesis) after the jump.
i-Biology 