Question

When studying metabolic pathways, there's many experimental techniques you can use in a lab. Imagine you are studying the effects of certain pills on the expression of the genes involved in metabolism. From your work in the facility, you know that the genes for all of the enzymes involved have been cloned. Your goal is to test how these genes respond to three separate concoctions; even though you have unlimited funds, you are short on time and can only pick one experimental technique.

1. The three possible techniques are: differential display, microarrays, real-time PCR, or SAGE. Explain what one technique you would use and explain why.

2. Explain what this tehcnique is and why you felt is was the best option. Also, explain how it works. Why will this technique give you the information we desire?

3. Explain at least one specific reason why each of the other techniques you did NOT choose wouldn't be as effective (or not work at all) compared to the technique you chose.

Answer 1

1.

We will prefer to choose the real time PCR. This is because as we have short time so, this technique will give us the accurate results without any problems of interpreting the results using another techniques.

2.

Real time PCR is the technique that will be used. This technique will provide the quantitative results in real time. Also this can be used for multiple samples. The effect of one drug on different genes can be seen in short time and accurately.

3.

Other techniques need further interpretation of results. These techniques are also not that much accurate as there is always a chance of error.