Thursday, September 14, 2017

Using Jellyfish Florescence to Study DNA Replication

According to an article on ScienceDaily, a fluorescent protein found in the jellyfish was inserted into the bacteria that normally live inside the human gut. This protein lights up under the UV light; hence, the cells could be traced and observed.

This helped the researchers observe the DNA replication during the formation of new cells. When a cell divides the DNA has to be divided and copied with complete accuracy. This process was thought to be very slow and systemic; however, in light of the new research, it was concluded that it is a much more dynamic process. While the scientists were watching the DNA replicate, they also observed that during this process a component known as DNAb helicase acts as a molecular anchor to the process and remains stable throughout. I think it is pretty cool and smart to use jellyfish fluorescence to track and study DNA replication in humans. Hopefully, this will help scientists understand the errors in DNA copying and the diseases that result from it.



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