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Animations:

Taqman


The Taqman probe detection system used in real time PCR (also known as quantitative PCR) is illustrated in this animation. One application of this method is use in GMO detection.

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Lessons:

Asteraceae

This lesson contains information about the Asteraceae family.

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List of Lessons: Click on "View" to start using the lesson
 
Advanced Backcross Breeding (Advanced Level)

This lesson is a detailed explanation of the backcross breeding process. Variations based on whether backcrossing is performed with dominant, recessive, or multiple traits are discussed. Calculations associated with backcross breeding are explained.

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Aparición de resistencia a herbicidas, en una población de malezas (Beginner Level)

El uso repetido del mismo herbicida, puede provocar poblaciones de malezas que consisten de biotipos susceptibles (S) que son controlados y biotipos resistentes (R), que escapan al control para producir y retornar semilla con la característica de resistencia, al banco de semillas del suelo. Esta lección se enfocará en la dinámica poblacional de una población de malezas mezclada con biotipos S y R. Se comparará y contrastará la tasa a la que aparecen malezas resistentes en una población bajo diversas presiones de selección. ****** Esta lección se enfocará en la dinámica poblacional de una población mezclada (biotipos susceptibles y resistentes a un herbicida), y comparar y contrastar la tasa a la cual aparece resistencia al herbicida, en una población de malezas mezclada, bajo diversas presiones de selección.

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Appearance of Herbicide Resistance in a Weed Population (Beginner Level)

Through the repeated use of the same herbicide, weed populations can consist of susceptible (S)-biotypes that are controlled and herbicide resistant (R)-biotypes that are left behind to produce and return seed with the resistance characteristic back into the soil. This lesson will highlight the population dynamics of a mixed weed population, containing S- and R-biotypes, and compare and contrast the rate at which herbicide resistant weeds appear in a population under a diversity of selection pressures. ****** This lesson will highlight the population dynamics of a mixed (herbicide susceptible and resistant biotype) weed population, and compare and contrast the rate of appearance of herbicide resistance in a mixed population under a diversity of selection pressures.

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Asteraceae (Advanced Level)

This lesson contains information about the Asteraceae family.

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Backcross Breeding 1 - Basic Gene Inheritance (Beginner Level)

This lesson reviews the basics of gene inheritance. It compares plants that are homozygous, heterozygous, and hemizgous for an allele and how gene expression is affected by the dominance of an allele. It also explains how to use a Punnett square to predict genotypic and phenotypic ratios of offspring.

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Backcross Breeding 2 - The Backcrossing Process (Beginner Level)

This lesson discusses the final stage of developing genetically engineered crops. The need for backcrossing, and the steps of this breeding method are described. Yield lag, yield drag, and gene stacking are also discussed.

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Basic Techniques of Plant Tissue Cultures (Advanced Level)

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Breeding for Grain Quality Traits: The challenges of measuring phenotypes and identifying genotypes. (Beginner Level)

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Corn Breeding: Lessons From the Past (Beginner Level)

This is the first in a series of lessons specifically designed to instruct individuals without any formal training in genetics or statistics about the science of corn breeding. Individuals with formal training in genetics or statistics but without any training in plant breeding also may benefit from these lessons.

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Corn Breeding: Introduction to Concepts in Quantitative Genetics (Beginner Level)

This is the second in a series of lessons specifically designed to instruct individuals without any formal training in genetics or statistics about the science of corn breeding. Individuals with formal training in genetics or statistics but without any training in plant breeding also may benefit from taking these lessons.

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Corn Breeding: Mass Selection (Beginner Level)

This is the fourth in a series of lessons specifically designed to instruct individuals without any formal training in genetics or statistics about the science of corn breeding. Individuals with formal training in genetics or statistics but without any training in plant breeding also may benefit from taking these lessons.

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Corn Breeding: Types of Cultivars (Beginner Level)

This is the third in a series of lessons specifically designed to instruct individuals without any formal training in genetics or statistics about the science of corn breeding. Individuals with formal training in genetics or statistics but without any training in plant breeding also may benefit from taking these lessons.

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Corn Flowers and Hybrid Seeds (Beginner Level)

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Corn Rootworm - Part 1: Description of Corn Rootworm and Other Early Season Corn Pests (Beginner Level)

This lesson will discuss the corn rootworm complex, which consists of the northern, western, and southern corn rootworm, focusing on the northern and western species. The information in this lesson will focus on the biology of corn rootworms in the north central Corn Belt, including Iowa and Nebraska. Crop producers, crop scouts, students, and the general public may find the information in this lesson helpful for identifying corn rootworm, other corn pests, and the feeding damage caused by each insect.

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Descripción de la Ingeniería Genética (Beginner Level)

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DNA and DNA Extraction (Beginner Level)

This lesson discusses what DNA is and how it relates to genes and chromosomes. How and why DNA is extracted in the genetic engineering process is also covered.

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Electrophoresis: How scientists observe fragments of DNA (Beginner Level)

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Embryogenesis (Advanced Level)

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European Corn Borer and Bacillus thuringiensis (Beginner Level)

This lesson contains information about the history, life cycle, and host plants of the European corn borer and information relating to the history and biology of Bacillus thuringiensis.

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Flowering Principles

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Gene Cloning (Beginner Level)

This lesson covers the utilization of gene cloning to isolate and copy a specific gene of interest. The transformation of bacteria with plasmids containing antibiotic resistance genes to make gene libraries and the selection of bacteria colonies that contain the specific gene of interest are described.

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Gene Cloning Part 1: The Mechanics of Recombinant DNA (Advanced Level)

This lesson describes how DNA molecules can be recombined to make recombinant DNA and how special DNA molecules called plasmids allow scientists to clone genes.

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Gene Cloning Part 2: Making and Screening Gene Libraries (Advanced Level)

This lesson teaches how a specific gene can be identified from among the thousands of genes that can be cloned from an organism.

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Gene Design 1 - Gene Regions (Beginner Level)

This lesson describes the three gene regions and their roles in gene expression. It also discusses how the regions of a gene can be altered to obtain desired trait expression.

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Gene Design 2 - Gene Constructs (Beginner Level)

This lesson builds upon the gene region lesson discussing the gene construct of currently used hybrids and explaining how these combinations result in a particular gene expression.

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Gene Expression Part 1: Reading Genes to Make Proteins (Advanced Level)

This lesson describes the steps involved in a cell as DNA sequence information is read to make RNA and RNA is read to make proteins.

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Gene Expression Part 2: Expression of Herbicide Resistant ALS Genes in Plants (Advanced Level)

This lesson describes how changes in the DNA sequence of a gene can alter the synthesis of a protein and thus influence traits such as herbicide resistance.

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Herbicide Resistance: Mechanisms, Inheritance, and Molecular Genetics (Beginner Level)

This lesson will detail the biochemical mechanisms and genetics of herbicide resistance in weeds. Herbicide resistance is one of the major issues in weed science today; therefore, it is important to have a basic understanding of the process by which it occurred. The management and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds in relationship to the biochemical mechanisms and inheritance of resistance will be explained. Resistance based on changes in the target site versus resistance based on detoxification or other types of resistance will be described.

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Just the facts (Beginner Level)

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Linkage - Part 1 (Beginner Level)

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Linkage - Part 2 (Beginner Level)

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Marker-Assisted Selection (Advanced Level)

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Mitosis and Meiosis and the Cell Cycle (Beginner Level)

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Native Plant Breeding: Bringing the Beauty of Nature Home (Beginner Level)

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Overview of Plant Genetic Engineering (Beginner Level)

Lesson one is a general description of the overall process of genetic engineering. A basic explanation of the five steps for genetically engineering a crop is provided. Details for each step are given in later lessons of this course. The five steps are:

  1. Locating an organism with a specific trait and extracting its DNA
  2. Cloning a gene that controls the trait
  3. Designing a gene to express in a specific way
  4. Transformation, inserting the gene into the cells of a crop plant
  5. Plant breeding to get the transgene into an elite background

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Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (Beginner Level)

The polymerase chain reaction laboratory technique is used in a variety of applications to make copies of a specific DNA sequence. This lesson describes how a PCR reaction works, what it accomplishes and its basic requirements for success. Examples of interpreting results are given. PCR's strengths, weaknesses and applications to plant biotechnology are explained.

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Protein Detection in Plants (Beginner Level)

This lesson will focus on molecular principles involved in the detection of biotechnology derived proteins in crops, using the lateral flow ELISA.

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Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) Analysis 1 (Advanced Level)

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Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) Analysis 2 (Advanced Level)

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Quantitative Traits (Beginner Level)

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Real Time PCR - Some Basic Principles (Advanced Level)

Real time PCR is a laboratory technique that can perform relatively accurate, reliable and reproducible measurements, to quantitatively determine the presence of specific gene sequences. Its value is being recognized in a variety of applications, including transgenic (GMO) detection. It is becoming increasingly important to know what percentage of a particular transgene is present in an export shipment, for example. Real time PCR can also be used to support more traditional plant breeding techniques, making the process of distinguishing allelic variations more efficient. This lesson explains the principles of real time PCR and its' application, with examples in plant breeding and GMO detection.

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The Dihybrid Cross and Independent Assortment (Beginner Level)

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The Inheritance of Variation (Beginner Level)

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The New Bts

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Theories Behind Plant Tissue Culture (Advanced Level)

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Transformation 1 - Plant Tissue Culture (Beginner Level)

This lesson explains the technique of tissue culture as used in plant transformation. It discusses important issues, such as the use of selectable markers, genotype specificity, and tissue culture alternatives.

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Transformation 2 - Transformation Methods (Beginner Level)

This lesson explains the procedure of introducing a new gene into a plant cell (transformation). It discusses the main goals of the transformation process and describes the four main methods of transformation.

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Transformation 3 - Transformation Events (Beginner Level)

This lesson defines an 'event'. It explains the determining factors specific to an event, the qualities of a desirable event, and the identification and selection of desirable events.

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