NAUTIL.US | TEXT SETS to therapy when the same therapy has failed other ACTIVITIES Dasens Some genes are not specific to humans, but rather, Remission: a decline or disappearance of signs and are common to myriad species. In a smaller group, symptoms of cancer. you will be assigned to read about one of the pro- teins listed here: http://nautil.us/issue/5/fame/ genes-that-won-the-fame-game READING COMPREHENSION : . aia Please answer the following questions when itis your turn 1. Why are orphan diseases underfunded? topresentto theclass: 2. How does the mutation in calpain 3 cause muscle 1. What organisms is the gene present in? Were you to fail to grow? surprised by the presence of the gene in any of 3. What are some reasons pharmaceutical com- the organisms listed? If'so, why? panies would want to develop drugs for orphan 2. Ifthis protern was mutated, what could the con- diseases? What are some possible reasons they sequences look like? Could it cause a disease? would be against doing so? 3. Research and present one other case of an outlier 4. Statistically speaking, outliers are often ignored. being useful in science or medicine. In this story, why 1s patient number 45 such an interesting case? Why is it generally important to study the outliers of response? WHERE THIS FITS IN THE CURRICULUM 5. Which protein’s activity 1s blocked by evero- Structure and Function (HS-LS1-1) A cell contains limus? What is the function of this particular genetic information in the form of DNA molecules. protein? Genes are regions in the DNA that contain the instructions that code for the formation of proteins, which carry out most of the work of cells. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Variation of Traits (HS-LS3-2) Although DNA tepli- 1. In what contexts would it be desirable and unde- cation is tightly regulated and remarkably accurate, sirable to sequence your genome to see if you errors do occur and result in mutations, which are are at risk for a disease? What are the benefit