As with every year, I have hosted a DNA Day art contest. The winner is Kelsea Jewell, aka Kaj or Mina Lunga
In Kaj's own words: I was trying to figure out what would be completely crazy to do with DNA, and while I was staring at a gel it hit me that DRAWING with DNA would probably be something no one else would do. So I did it!
I extracted DNA from several mutants (bacteria), amplified certain genes, and then added a lot of a chemical called ethidium bromide (EtBr, in lab parlance). Incubated it and let the EtBr intercalate with the DNA. . . and while that was going on made some plain agar plates. And then I used a pipette that measures 2 uL at a time to inject the DNA into the plate in some places, and pull lines of it across the plate in others. I had to work over a UV lamp with goggles on, since EtBr lights up in UV (purple-pink!), letting us see where the DNA is located.
It was HARD trying to draw using what is, sorta, a syringe. And then I took a picture using our system for visualizing other DNA projects. Voila!
If you're interested in more fanart concerning DNA, check here:
And here:
And here:
DNA and it's incredible double helix shape has become a theme in various forms of art and architecture.
Here are some examples I've seen myself:
(Stairs in France, A window at CSU, A necklace made by Quill, Statue at CSU)
This year I want to highlight a program that my grandfather became a part of - The Genographic Project. This project uses DNA to study the migration and mutation of humans across the world. It is absolutely fascinating! If you look at the Atlas of the Human Journey link, you can watch a lot of intriguing videos about the origin of humans. Some things that piqued my interest here are that there is a culture in Africa called the San, which not only have very ancient DNA in their blood, but also their language points to how ancient their culture really is. Also, I always learned about humans using tools and developing language and stuff in History class, but I never really thought of these things as being linked to genetics before. These videos are really amazing if you're interested in that kind of thing. YAY FOR DNA!!
So the program my grandfather participated in was this . A highlight from the text here: "When your results are ready Project Director Dr. Spencer Wells will introduce you to your earliest human relatives—the members of your specific haplogroup. You'll receive a personalized genetic analysis, including an online overview of your deep ancestral history. The analysis reveals where and when your haplogroup originated and how they lived. You'll also receive a dynamic map, specific to your lineage, on which to trace your relatives' journeys across the planet."
The project is looking for more participants, if you're interested.
And finally, some bits taken from the DOE website:
The human genome contains 3164.7 million chemical nucleotide bases(ATCG).
The average gene consists of 3000 bases, but sizes vary greatly, with the largest known human gene being dystrophin at 2.4 million bases.
The total number of genes is estimated at 30,000 to 35,000.
Almost all (99.9%) nucleotide bases are exactly the same in all people.
The functions are unknown for over 50% of discovered genes.
Less than 2% of the genome codes for proteins.
The ratio of germline (sperm or egg cell) mutations is 2:1 in males vs females. Researchers point to several reasons for the higher mutation rate in the male germline, including the greater number of cell divisions required for sperm formation than for eggs.
We eat about 93,000 miles of DNA in an average meal.
Have a happy DNA Day, you guys!
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