This lesson describes how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. The concise PowerPoint has been primarily designed to cover the detail of specification point 6.4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also makes continual links to the previous lesson on DNA profiling where the PCR is important as well as DNA structure.
A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the PCR abbreviation before students are encouraged to discuss with the aim of identifying the enzyme involved and to recall the action of this enzyme as covered in DNA replication in topic 2. Students will learn that this reaction involves cyclical heating and cooling to a range of temperatures so another quiz is used to introduce these values. The main part of the lesson describes the main steps in the PCR and the reasons for each temperature is discussed and explained. Links are constantly made to related topics such as DNA structure are students are challenged on their understanding through exam-style questions. Time is taken to examine the key points in detail, such as the fact that the DNA polymerase used is taken from an extremophile so that it is not denatured at the high temperature.
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Nucleic acids, Genetics and Inheritance (Edexcel SNAB)
This lesson bundle contains 16 lessons which have been designed to cover the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification points which focus on the structure of DNA and RNA, their roles in replication and protein synthesis, and genetics and inheritance. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 6 of the course: 2.5 (i): Know the basic structure of mononucleotides (deoxyribose or ribose linked to a phosphate and a base, including thymine, uracil, cytosine, adenine or guanine) and the structures of DNA and RNA (polynucleotides composed of mononucleotides linked through condensation reactions) 2.5 (ii): Know how complementary base pairing and the hydrogen bonding between two complementary strands are involved in the formation of the DNA double helix 2.6 (i): Understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription) including the role of RNA polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and stop codons 2.6 (ii): Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA 2.7: Understand the nature of the genetic code 2.8: Know that a gene is a sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain 2.11 (i): Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase 2.12 (i): Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations 2.12 (ii): Understand how cystic fibrosis results from one of a number of possible gene mutations 2.13 (i): Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, incomplete dominance, homozygote and heterozygote 2.13 (ii): Understand patterns of inheritance, including the interpretation of genetic pedigree diagrams, in the context of monohybrid inheritance 2.14: Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems 2.15 (i): Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling 2.15 (ii): Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening 3.8 (i): The loci is a location of genes on a chromosome 3.8 (ii): The linkage of genes on a chromosome and sex linkage 3.12: Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA leading to synthesis of proteins, which in turn control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants, including the lac operon 3.14 (i): Phenotype is an interaction between genotype and the environment 3.15: Understand how some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci (polygenic inheritance) as well as the environment and how this can give rise to phenotypes that show continuous variation 6.4: Know how DNA can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 6.10: Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein through posttranscriptional changes to messenger RNA (mRNA).
Topic 6: Immunity, infection and forensics (Edexcel A-level Biology A)
This lesson bundle contains 9 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources which have been intricately planned to deliver the detailed content of topic 6 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and to make links to the 5 previously covered topics. In addition to the detailed content, each lesson contains exam-style questions with mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint, differentiated tasks, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way. The following specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle: * DNA can be amplified using the PCR * Comparing the structure of bacteria and viruses * Understand how Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infact human cells * The non-specific responses of the body to infection * The roles of antigens and antibodies in the body's immune response * The differences in the roles of the B and T cells in the body's immune response * Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein * The development of immunity * The major routes that pathogens may take when entering the body * The role of barriers in protecting the body from infection * The difference between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the immune response and post-transcriptional changes lessons as these have been uploaded for free
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