Biology (Research Paper Sample)

Biology
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Biology
Tumor suppressor genes are genes which slow down cell division; hence act as ‘brakes’ for controlled cell proliferation. They also repair DNA mistakes as well as facilitate cell death. When tumor suppressor genes do not work properly, cells go out of control and hence cause cancer. Mutations termed as loss-of –function mutation cause development of cancer in tumor suppressor genes by inactivating the inhibitory function of these genes. Proto-oncogenes are genes which normally control how often a cell divides thus thy promote cell proliferation. When a proto-oncogene mutates, it causes cells to activate themselves when not supposed to be. Consequently, this causes cells to grow out of control thus cause cancer.
Normal cells divide in an orderly manner as and when required by the body. On the other hand, cancer cells divide in a disorderly manner with no control. Cancer cells frequently make DNA to support the high and rapid rate of proliferation while normal cells make DNA at a normal rate since cell proliferation is at a normal rate. Cancer cells do not have the ability to repair DNA damage correctly while normal cells have the ability to repair DNA damage effectively. Cancer cells do not obey commands from other cells unlike the normal cells. Cancer cells do not stick together unlike normal cells which stay together.
Gene expression occurs in two major stages namely; transcription and protein synthesis. In the transcription stage, the gene is copied to produce an RNA molecule with the same sequence as the gene. Transcription occurs in the nucleus of a cell. In protein synthesis process also known as translation, the messenger RNA, is decoded to give rise to a specific amino acid. Translation occurs on the outside of a nucleus of the cell. The nucleic acids involved in gene expression are DNA and RNA.
The four types of chromosomal structural mutations are duplication, deletion, inversion and translocation. Duplication is the repition of a part of a chromosome resulting from fusion with a fragment from a homologous chromosome. Deletion is the loss of one or more nucleotides from a gene by mutation. Inversion is the change in a certain chromosome resulting from reattachment of a chromosome fragment. Translocation is the attachment of a chromosomal fragment to a nonhomologous chromos...