1- Similarly find the open reading frame (ORF) of GFP mRNA sequence which encodes the full-length protein.
To do this enter the mRNA entry for Aequorea Victoria green-fluorescent protein GFP (“L29345”) into ORF
finder program at NCBI (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/orffinder/). (i) What is the longest open reading frame for
GFP? (ii) How many amino acids does it encode? (iii) What are the last 4 C-terminal amino acids of GFP? (iv)
What are the 4 corresponding nucleotide base pair codons? (hint: toggle the ORF display box to see the
nucleotide sequence) (v) How many nucleotides does the ORF of the GFP gene encode?
2- With all the genetic tools you have now developed, you are now able to study the function of the human
MCRS-CoV-8 receptor using overexpression and loss of function approaches in human lung cells and have obtained a better understanding of its function. You have also identified a drug commonly used clinically for another indication that appears to inhibit binding to the MCRS-CoV-8 receptor.
Before you can repurpose this drug and test it in human patients, you need to test whether the loss of function of the MCRS-CoV-8 receptor gene in vivo is toxic. In terms of pre-clinical testing, (i) which animal model would
you use, and (ii) what criteria would the animal model need to have to make it appropriate as a test model for
MCRS-CoV-8 receptor? (iii) Why not remove the MCRS-CoV-8 receptor gene directly in humans to make them resistant to the virus. What would the dangers be?
Sample Solution
