A Dynamic DNA Discovery Kit: Hand-on Exploration of DNA Structure & Function

动态 DNA 发现套件：亲自探索 DNA 结构

• 批准号: 8454907
• 负责人: Diane Herman
• 金额: $ 20.05万
• 依托单位: 3D MOLECULAR DESIGNS
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8454907
• 关键词: 3-Dimensional; Active Learning; Address; Amino Acid Sequence; Award; Base Sequence; Biology; Businesses; Chemistry; Code; Color; Complementary DNA; Complementary RNA; DNA; DNA Structure; DNA biosynthesis; Development; Diphosphates; Engineering; Environment; Feedback; Funding; Future Generations; Genetic; Genetic Transcription; Genomics; Goals; Hand; Laboratories; Lead; Logic; Medicine; Modeling; Molecular; Molecular Biology; Molecular Structure; National Center for Research Resources; Nucleotides; Phase; Positioning Attribute; Printing; Process; Program Development; Property; Protein Biosynthesis; Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Protein c-kit; RNA; RNA chemical synthesis; School Teachers; Schools; Science; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Staging; Structure; Students; Technology; Testing; Textbooks; Training Programs; Translations; United States National Institutes of Health; Work; base; design; ds-DNA; high school; innovation; literacy; middle school; physical model; prototype; public health relevance; routine practice; science education; teacher; tool; tripolyphosphate

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to design and prototype a dynamic physical model of DNA that students will use in an active learning environment to explore the 3-D structure of double- stranded DNA - and then easily untwist into a flat, 2-D ladder model in which the two strands of DNA will be separated to serve as templates in the processes of DNA replication and RNA transcription. The dynamic, multi-functional DNA model that is the focus of this Phase I project will become an essential component of a broader molecular biology modeling kit that is envisioned as a Phase II follow-on project - in which students will use the RNA generated from this DNA model in a protein synthesis module to enact the translation of a sequence of nucleotides into a sequence of amino acids in a protein. Together, these active learning tools will provide today's students with a foundational understanding of the molecular logic of the flow of genetic information needed to appreciate how the recent advances in genomic science will soon lead to the routine practice of personalized genomic medicine. The dynamic DNA model proposed in this project will be based on two existing DNA models: (i) an accurate 3-D model of double-stranded DNA in which each atom is color-coded according to atom type, and (ii) a model of double-stranded DNA that can be easily untwisted into a flat, 2-D ladder structure. The major design challenge that will be addressed in this project is the development and strategic placement of three rotatable connector features in the current accurate model of DNA such that the model can be easily inter-converted between the two forms. Additive rapid prototyping technologies will be used to prototype a variety of possible connector features and to test them in functional prototypes of a classroom model kit. This project is a collaborative effort of 3D Molecular Designs, the Rapid Prototyping Center at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and the MSOE Center for BioMolecular Modeling (CBM). The CBM is an instructional materials development laboratory that works closely with high school biology and chemistry teachers to provide professional development programs focused on basic concepts of molecular structure and function. The DNA model created in this SBIR project will be incorporated into these ongoing teacher training programs, funded by a NIH-SEPA (Science Education Partnership Award) from the National Center for Research Resources.

描述(申请人提供)：这个项目的目标是设计和制作一个动态的DNA物理模型，学生将在积极的学习环境中使用它来探索双链DNA的三维结构-然后很容易地解开成一个扁平的二维梯形模型，在这个模型中，DNA的两条链将被分离，作为DNA复制和RNA转录过程中的模板。这个动态、多功能的DNA模型是这个第一阶段项目的重点，它将成为一个更广泛的分子生物学建模工具包的重要组成部分，该工具包被设想为第二阶段的后续项目-在这个项目中，学生将在蛋白质合成模块中使用从这个DNA模型产生的RNA来将核苷酸序列翻译成蛋白质中的氨基酸序列。总之，这些积极的学习工具将为今天的学生提供对遗传信息流的分子逻辑的基础性理解，这些分子逻辑是理解基因组科学最近的进展将如何很快导致个性化基因组医学的常规实践所需的。本项目中提出的动态DNA模型将基于现有的两个DNA模型：(I)精确的双链DNA模型，其中每个原子根据原子类型进行颜色编码；(Ii)双链DNA模型，可以很容易地解缠成平面的二维梯形结构。该项目将解决的主要设计挑战是在当前精确的DNA模型中开发和战略性放置三个可旋转的连接器功能，以便该模型可以在两种形式之间轻松地相互转换。加法快速成型技术将被用来制作各种可能的连接器特征的原型，并在教室模型套件的功能原型中进行测试。该项目是3D分子设计公司、密尔沃基工程学院快速成型中心(MSOE)和MSOE生物分子建模中心(CBM)共同努力的成果。CBM是一个教学材料开发实验室，与高中生物和化学教师密切合作，提供专注于分子结构和功能基本概念的专业发展计划。在这个SBIR项目中创建的DNA模型将被纳入这些正在进行的教师培训计划中，该计划由国家研究资源中心颁发的NIH-SEPA(科学教育合作伙伴奖)资助。