Genetics Paper Topic?

Question

I need to do a 10-15 page research paper on any topic in genetics this semester. I need something that has alot of recent research done on it. If I remember correctly i'm going to need something like 20 primary sources. I was thinking about writing on the structure and function of telomeres. Would this be a good topic with plenty of recent material?

Answer 1

Telomeres would be good. Go to Pubmed and do a search:' there over 1500 review articles alone dealing with telomeres, at least 20 of which are from 2008. Lots of material to work with.

Other suggested topics:

X inactivation in mammals.

Chromitin structure and gene regulation

Cell cycle regulation at the G1-S boundary

ABC model of flower development

Pre-implantation genetics in humans

Origin of the Y chromosome

Answer 2

I love genetics, but wow that sounds like a snoozer.  You need something that you can not just research, but that you can have an opinion about - something your professor couldn't just look up himself.  I'd go with something more general or controversial so you can discuss both the science behind it and the effect on society

GMO's are really really big now - especially in public food sources.

Or maybe the specific functions of a gene in relation to a disease - and of gene therapy.

Answer 3

Yes, there should be a lot of material. Because:

Aging is linked to telomeres. Once our telomeres run out, our cells start losing actual genetic information, which means our systems stop working properly. There is only one chemical that makes telomeres run down more slowly, and that's telomerase. But, unfortunately, telomerase is one of the chemicals that causes cancer, which really is a problem.

Telomeres are the reason clones age unnaturally. Dolly the sheep died at age six, while most sheep live to be 12-15. Because you're starting a clone with DNA that's already lost some stuff off the ends, you're going to loose telomeres a whole lot quicker. So, this is one of the many complications with cloning.

Good Luck!