Monster DNA

Ask A Biologist Podcast

Chapters
0:00
Introduction [DNA Day]
0:24
Structure of DNA
1:23
What is a genome?
3:27
When was the human genome sequence completed?
3:54
The Monster DNA project.
4:35
What is a Gila monster?
6:19
Gila monster genome and the Animal Superpower Challenge.
8:15
Why are we interested in the genome of a Gila monster?
8:58
Gila monster spit.
10:43
Gila monster unique features.
11:27
Loss of Gila monster habitat.
11:57
The problem with relocating Gila monsters.
13:16
How much and often do Gila monsters eat and drink?
15:01
The unusual thing about the Gila monster sex chromosomes.
16:53
What do you do with the genome information?
18:19
Who would use information from the Gila monster genome?
18:38
DNA is amazingly efficient for storing information.
19:06
Who is involved with reading the genome?
20:20
What do you do with 400 million tiny pieces of DNA in it?
20:52
The undergraduate researcher.
22:14
Three questions.
22:23
When did you know you wanted to be a biologist?
25:12
Did you always like math?
26:37
What would you do if you could not be a biologist?
28:34
Advice for future biologists.
30:23
Sign-off
Ask A Biologist Podcast
Monster DNA
Apr 13, 2016 Episode 88
Dr. Biology Talks with Melissa Wilson

In the tiny world of DNA, we might call genomes monsters. These huge sets of information include all the codes for all the genes present in an organism. From genomes, we can learn about the traits, diseases, and evolution of a species, and that’s just a start. What might such a monster set of data do for us if it was about our very own North American monster – the Gila monster? Computational biologist Melissa Wilson tells Dr. Biology about the Gila monster, the life-saving venom in its saliva, and what we might learn from the monster genome.

Learn more - Monster DNA
Learn more - Hardy Gilas
Learn more - Animal Superpower Challenge
Try this experiment - Seeing Banana DNA 

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