Question
You are a neurologist designing an optogenetics experiment in mice. Answer the following about your design process, for 10 points each.
[10m] Your first step is to determine which type of these proteins would be best used to trigger an optogenetic response. Versions of these GPCRs discovered in green algae and halobacteria are prefixed “channel-” and “bacterio-” respectively.
ANSWER: rhodopsins [accept channelrhodopsin or bacteriorhodopsin; prompt on opsins]
[10e] A rhodopsin of choice can be introduced to your mice with a site-specific version of this process using the Cre-Lox system. The “homologous” type of this process allows for exchange of genetic material during meiosis.
ANSWER: recombination [accept site-specific recombination or homologous recombination; accept crossing over; accept Cre recombinase]
[10h] In your studies, you notice that these mice sometimes produce different responses to neural activation than mice with a microbiome. These mice can be converted to SPF mice with a pathogen-free fecal transplant.
ANSWER: germ-free mice
<Biology>
Summary
| 2024 ACF Regionals @ Nebraska | 01/27/2024 | Y | 6 | 13.33 | 83% | 50% | 0% |
| 2024 ACF Regionals @ Imperial | 01/27/2024 | Y | 8 | 10.00 | 63% | 38% | 0% |
Data
| Texas A | Appalachian State | 10 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| UBC A | Iowa A | 10 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Michigan State A | Rice A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Texas A&M B | Sorbonne | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Claremont A | Texas A&M A | 10 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| UW A | Iowa B | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |