Genetically Modify E. Coli w/ Jellyfish Genes - Coolest Lab Yet!

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a laboratory experiment involving the genetic modification of E. Coli with jellyfish genes to induce fluorescence. Participants share their experiences and thoughts on the experiment, its implications, and related applications in research.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the excitement of genetically modifying E. Coli for fluorescence, contrasting it with less engaging high school experiments.
  • Several participants express curiosity about whether the modified E. Coli can make intestines glow, with one cautioning against reintroducing them into the body.
  • Another participant mentions that the modified E. Coli are designed to not survive outside the lab, indicating a controlled experimental environment.
  • A participant shares that their girlfriend is using a similar jellyfish gene approach in her research related to cystic fibrosis, involving gene expression monitoring and lipid-based delivery systems.
  • Concerns are raised about the simplicity of the methods used in the lab, with one participant noting that such techniques could potentially be misused.
  • Technical details are discussed regarding the requirements for E. Coli to express glowing proteins, including gene splicing, antibiotic resistance, and the presence of specific chemicals.
  • Some participants reflect on their own experiences with similar labs, comparing high school and college laboratory experiences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share enthusiasm for the experiment and its applications, but there is no consensus on the implications of the simplicity of the methods used or the potential risks involved. Multiple perspectives on the educational value of such experiments are present.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific conditions necessary for the E. Coli to express fluorescence, but details on the underlying mechanisms and broader implications remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in genetic engineering, microbiology, and the applications of fluorescence in research may find this discussion relevant.

binzing
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We genetically modified E. Coli with jellyfish genes for flourescence. It was probably the coolest lab we've done yet. No freakin' titrations or counting and sexing any damn fruit flies.
 
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That sounds awesome! We never did anything cool like that in high school.

So, did it work? And can you make your intestine glow :wink: ?
 
lisab said:
And can you make your intestine glow :wink: ?

I wouldn't recommend putting the E. coli back where they came from. :rolleyes:

That is a fun experiment to do, and very cool that you got to do it while still in high school. :approve: Sounds like you're having fun with that class.
 
Moonbear said:
Sounds like you're having fun with that class.

FOR ONCE!

Lisa, haha. No. These E. Coli are special ones that won't survive outside of a lab environment. We actually haven't seen if they glow yet, but we can make our predictions based on what we did. Tomorrow we get to see if they glow.
 
binzing said:
FOR ONCE!

Lisa, haha. No. These E. Coli are special ones that won't survive outside of a lab environment. We actually haven't seen if they glow yet, but we can make our predictions based on what we did. Tomorrow we get to see if they glow.

Great...let us know how it turns out.
 
lisab said:
Great...let us know how it turns out.

Sure will.
 
My girlfirend is using a similar thing on her year in industry. She is using the jellyfish gene to monitor gene expression of something to do with combatting cystic fibrosis. something to do with lipid based delivery. Her supervisor is investigating the use of genetically modified HIV (that sounds slighty risky to me but its a cool idea) as a delivery system for the corrected CF gene. I don't really understand it but it sounds interesting.
 
We got our respected outcomes, big surprise. It was fairly interesting though.
 
Great! As Chris points out, what you did in your biology class really is a tool used in actual research labs, not just some outdated busy-work exercise with no application beyond the classroom.
 
  • #10
Moonbear said:
Great! As Chris points out, what you did in your biology class really is a tool used in actual research labs, not just some outdated busy-work exercise with no application beyond the classroom.

Yeah. It was kind of scary as to how simple it was, considering that's the same method terrorists could use to create bio weapons.
 
  • #11
binzing said:
Yeah. It was kind of scary as to how simple it was, considering that's the same method terrorists could use to create bio weapons.

Rest assured, it's only easy because you were inserting a small gene that is known to work when transfected into the cells you were supplied with the kit used. Usually, you would transfect that GFP sequence attached to another gene of interest, and the reason for doing that is to find out if your gene of interest got into the cell and is being expressed by quickly looking for the GFP expression.
 
  • #12
I've done that exact lab!

It was so cool...
 
  • #13
I remember that lab back in high school.

It was cool but nowhere near as awesome as some of my chem labs in college.
 
  • #14
moose said:
I remember that lab back in high school.

It was cool but nowhere near as awesome as some of my chem labs in college.

My chem labs in college would have been a lot more fun if I wasn't always assigned a bench space next to a pyromaniac.
 
  • #15
Moonbear said:
Rest assured, it's only easy because you were inserting a small gene that is known to work when transfected into the cells you were supplied with the kit used. Usually, you would transfect that GFP sequence attached to another gene of interest, and the reason for doing that is to find out if your gene of interest got into the cell and is being expressed by quickly looking for the GFP expression.

Well mostly. Actually the to get glowing proteins the E. Coli we had had to A. have the positive gene splice for it, B. be resistant to ampicillin (sp?), and C. be in the presence or a certain chemical (ara-something).
 
  • #16
binzing said:
Well mostly. Actually the to get glowing proteins the E. Coli we had had to A. have the positive gene splice for it, B. be resistant to ampicillin (sp?), and C. be in the presence or a certain chemical (ara-something).

Very good. Do you understand why the cells became resistant to ampicillin when you successfully inserted a gene into them?