How does This Parasite Infect Macrophages?

NGSS Phenomena: Several long green cells, with bright red dots inside of them.
Leishmania major (red) infecting macrophages (large and light green outlines).
Rabhi S, Rabhi I, Trentin B, Piquemal D, Regnault B, Goyard S, et al. (2016) Lipid Droplet Formation, Their Localization and Dynamics during Leishmania major Macrophage Infection. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0148640. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148640
In the above gif, we see a parasite, Leishmania major (red), infecting Marcophages (large and green). In the below image, we see a breakdown of the protein encoding genes in this organism's first chromosome, circled in red.
NGSS Phenomena: Two long strands of a chromosome, with stripes showing the separation between different genes. Two small red circles on each chromosome show the areas where the chromosome codes for proteins.
The protein-coding genes in Chromosome 1 of Leishmania major.
Myler PJ, Audleman L, deVos T, Hixson G, Kiser P, Lemley C, Magness C, Rickel E, Sisk E, Sunkin S, et al. 1999. Leishmania major Friedlin chromosome 1 has an unusual distribution of protein-coding genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci 96: 2902–2906.

1. How much of this chromosome codes for protein synthesis?

2. Which question would help us to determine the function of non protein coding parts of the DNA?

3. What is a testable question that you could ask to determine the function of the dark blue parts of the chromosome?

4. Which question would help us determine the cause and effect relationships between the protein coding DNA and traits in this organism?

5. What is one testable question you could ask to determine that the DNA and chromosomes can be regulated in multiple ways?

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This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS1.A: Structure and Function

  • LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits

  • HS-LS3-1

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS1.A: Structure and Function

  • LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • HS-LS3-1

  • Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Prediction

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • HS-LS3-1

  • Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Prediction

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits

  • LS1.A: Structure and Function

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS1.A: Structure and Function

  • LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Prediction

  • HS-LS3-1

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • HS-LS3-1

  • Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Prediction

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits

  • LS1.A: Structure and Function

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