1.1 Maria is a genetic counselor and has a son who looks verymuch like her. Total strangers often say “He is your littleclone—he looks just like you!” She’s tempted to retort, “No he’snot! You obviously don’t know anything about genetics!” but insteadjust says “Thank you.”

a. Based on what you know about genetics explain why Maria’s soncould not be her clone.

b. Would it be legal to for Maria to make a clone of herself?Should it be? Explain your answer in 1-2 sentences.

1.2 When I was an undergraduate, a friend of mine who knew I wasworking on genetics offered to pay me a tidy sum to clone his dogMitzi, who he loved dearly, so that he would never have to bewithout her. Although I could have used the money, I declined.

a. If I had cloned Mitzi, would Mitzi’s clone have beenidentical to Mitzi in appearance and behavior?

b. If she would not have been identical, explain why not interms of genetics and gene expression.

1.3 (2 pts) List an example of a clone that is found in nature(rather than made in agricultural practice or the lab) in each ofthe following categories and escribe the characteristic(s) thatqualify it to be considered a clone, in 1-2 sentences.

a. Single-celled organism

b. Plant

c. Animal

1.4 Plants have been genetically modified for many differentreasons, which can be loosely grouped into two categories:

To increase yield. Examples include pesticideresistance, longer shelf-life modification and droughtresistance.

To directly improve human health. Examplesinclude: increasing the nutritional value of crops, removingallergenic substances, and using crops to produce vaccines.

Find one example of a crop in each category, then answer thefollowing questions for each. Do not useexamples we will discuss in class, which are BT,Round-up ready crops and Golden Rice, or other crops modified tomake beta carotene.

a.GMO plants to increase yield (3pts)

i.Name the GMO (e.g corn) and the geneor genes that were added or changed.

ii.What benefit(s) does the gene/sconfer to the crop?

iii.Is this product in commercial usetoday?

iv.What are the regulations on the useof this product? Does it need to be labeled? Do farmers have tohave a special permit to grow it?

v.What is one concern regarding the useof this crop?

b.GMO plants to benefit human health (3pts)

i.Name the GMO (e.g corn) and the geneor genes that were added or changed.

ii.What benefit(s) does the gene/sconfer to humans?

iii.Is this product in commercial usetoday?

iv.What are the regulations on the useof this product? Does it need to be labeled? Do farmers have tohave a special permit to grow it?

v.         What is oneconcern regarding the use of this crop?