Power of Wind

Hello! Tail-end of the summer of 2015. I challenged myself to apply for a scholarship, The Power of Wind Contest. It is something that I am passionate about. So without any further ado, here is my entry!

80 Meter Giant (Nuclear Power Fossil fuel Diss Track)
Written by Rose

                              http://www.alstom.com/Global/Power/Resources/Images/Gallery/wind-turbine-eco122-cgi.jpg

When that wind is blowing, all white turbines are spinning

Wait, we all know that from the outside, but what about from our side,

What else is spinning?

You got computer motors or this sick DJ record,

Future prediction, wheels of my car, yeah we on a mission,

Not to mention, the globe we call our home yeah three dimension

Yeah man, we all use it in our everyday life, so why not learn about it on the subway ride

Got the answer to the question just look out the window

Opposite of a fan, it’s wind turbines watch it go

Kinetic energy to electricity,

Is it magic? Nah, scientific

Why is wind power important, it’s simple

Why would you chose the latter when clean power’s the chatter

Wakeup, sweat soaked, worrying about the stress that our planet goes through

All those nature-sent warnings, you can’t just ignore

When polar caps are melting and whole cities are drowning,

If global warming isn’t the cause for it, then you're just fooling yourself my man

Fossil fuel and nuclear they may seem practical from the outside but it hurts us in the long ride

We might run out of fuel sooner than you think but wind is there for the taking, it will never reach the brink

Gotta do it for the vison if not for our people whose opinion that we listen

2k15,

Let make this our year, keys in our fists, knock down the fear

Better late than never, isn’t that how the saying goes

Solar power’s cool but we're talking affordable

Yeah, I feel the breeze it’s free, yeah, I feel the breeze it’s free, yeah~

Thanks to Canwea for giving me the knowledge.

The Purpose (Protein)- Translation

Act I: Initiation:
The large and small ribososomal subunits binds to the 5' cap of a mRNA molecule and scans it until it reaches the AUG start codon (which corresponds to the amino acid methionine). Then the 1st aminoacyl-tRNA(the indicator methionine-tRNA) binds to the start codon in the P site.
Act II: Elongation:
1. Another tRNA with  an anticodon and amino acid that corresponds with the codon (a threesome of bases on the mRNA) in the A site enters the ribosome. Next the animo acid (Met),  from the tRNA in the P site froms a peptide bond with the amino acid on the tRNA in the A site.
The Wobble effect is when even if the third base of a codon is different, it still codes for the same amino acid, thus reducing the chance of mutation.
2. During translocation, the ribosome moves to the next codon while the 2 tRNA remain bound to their codons, leaving a vacant A site, and the empty tRNA in the E site (where tRNA is released).
Steps 1&2 are repeated for each codon.
Act II: Termination:
When the A site arrives at a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA), a protein release factor binds instead of a tRNA. The polypeptide chain is released from the tRNA, because there is no amino acid in the A site. The ribosomal units separate and the tRNA and the release factor are also freed.

Transcription (Synthesis of RNA)

Act I: Initiation:
(In eukaryotes):
1.Transcription factors recognize and bind to the promoter, "TATA" Box.
2.RNA polymerase II binds to the transcription factors and creates a Transcription Initiation Complex.
(In prokaryotes):
1. RNA polymerase II bind directly to the promoter region.
Act II: Elongation:
RNA polymerase untwists the double helix DNA, separates strands, then synthesises RNA as it base-pairs along the template in a 5'-> 3' direction.
The distinction between DNA and RNA synthesis? Instead of T pairing with A, it is U. And instead of new stand forming a bond with the template, it trails off from the polymeraseas RNA is single-stranded.
Act III: Termination:

(In eukaryotes):

RNA polymerase for hundreds of A nucleotides after the terminator, "AAUAA".
To protect the new RNA sequence from the hydrolytic enzymes in the cytoplasm, a G-cap is added to the 5' end, and a Poly A Tail, the collection of adenine nucleotides, at the 3' end.
But that's not all, RNA splicing is also needed to remove the introns (non-coding segments that also help in protecting the mRNA transcript) admist the exons, which actually codes for the amino acids(our next step with the mRNA). This splicing is accomplished by a spliceosome, with is formed by snRNPs (made up of protein and snRNA) and other proteins combining with the pre-mRNA. SnRNA base-pairs with the nucleotides at the end of the intron, and then the transcript is cut to release the intron, and the exons are spliced together.
(In prokaryotes):
Polymerase stops transcription at the end of the terminator, and the RNA and DNA are released.

The Replication of Old Man DNA

Note: Cast

Act I: Initiation:
Once upon a time, there was a DNA that felt that it was time to replicate. He was very old so he enlisted the help of the younger generation.
First, a replication fork is to be formed to separate the strands. This is done by Helicase. He untwistes a section of DNA, then he pulls apart the strands easily because of the weak hydrogen bonds. But he realized that he could not hold the strand apart by himself, so he called upon his buddy, Single-strand binding proteins, who specializes in this job.
While this was happening Old man DNA complained that other parts of his structure became too tight. So Gyrase comes in to release the tension.
Then finally, the synthesis of the daughter strands can begin.
Act II: Elongation:
Since the DNA has been split into 2 strands and each runs anti-parallel to each other. And the new daughter strand is to be synthesised in a 5'-> 3' direction. The 2 daughter strands needs to be formed, each one in the opposite direction of the Old man DNA stand, or template. And depending on whether it is forming towards the fork or away, it is a different process.
Leading strand (towards the fork):
First, RNA primase builds a small RNA segment called RNA primer. Then DNA polymerase III adds nucleotides to the RNA primer continuously.
Things are not so easy for the Lagging strand (away from the direction of fork opening):
The daughter strand is synthesized discontinuously, in sections, where it also starts with a RNA primase, RNA primer, and DNA polymerase III. This is called an Okazaki fragment.
But that's not all, when the Okazaki fragment runs into the RNA primer of another Okazaki fragment in front of it, in comes DNA polymerase I to replace the RNA neucleotides with DNA.
Act III: Termination:
And finally DNA ligase, AKA the Glue man, who's been called in by the youngsters and waiting while this is all taking place, can join the Okazaki fragments. As well Polymerase I & DNA Polymerase II proofreads and repair errors.

Metabolism: Anabolism/Catabolism

In order to visualize Metabolism (biochemical reactions that occur in living organisms),we made 3D posters to model the reactions that takes place.

Anabolism (photosynthesis)- synthesizing molecules from smaller components in order to store energy, requires energy in the process. (Photons ---> Glucose)

Noncyclic Photophosphorylation (light-dependent):
- P680 absorbs a photon, the excited electron goes to b6-f complex, then to P700 where electrons get excited by photons, then they are used by NADP reductase to reduce NADP+
- Oxygen and NADPH are formed
- can produce ATP

Cyclic Photophosphorylation (light-dependent):
- electron in P700 is excited by a photon, instead of being used to reduce NADP+ like in noncyclic photophosphorylation, electrons from Fd is passed to b6-f complex and back to P700
- no NADPH or oxygen is formed
- can produce more ATP the little NADP is available.






Calvin Cycle (light-independent):
- rubisco fixs CO2 and RuBP (5C) to become 2 PGA (3C)---> 2BPG (3C)---> 2 G3P (3C)
- some G3P are used to make glucose, others recycled (G3Px2---> 1 glucose)
- uses ATP and NADPH













Catabolism (celluar respiration)- breaking down complex molecules into smaller units, releasing energy in the process. (Glucose ---> ATP)

Glycolysis:
- Glucose---> Glucose 6-phosphate---> Fructose 6-phosphate---> Fructose 1,6-phosphate ---> Dihydroxyacetone/G3P---> 2 BPG---> 3PG---> 2PG---> 2 PEP---> 2 pyruvate
- 2 ATP consumes, 4 ATP produced, 2 H2O produced













Kreb's Cycle:
- OXAL (4C)+Acetyl-CoA (2C)---> CIT(6C)---> ISO (6C)---> alphaKG (5C)---> Succinyl-CoA (4C)---> SUC (4C)---> FUM (4C)---> MAL (4C)---> OXAL (4C)
- produces 2 ATP, 6 NADH, 2 FADH2













Electron Transport Chain:
- 2H+---> 1 ATP
- NADH passes 2 electrons to NADH dehydrogenase---> bc1 complex---> Cytochrome oxidase complex => 6 H+
1 NADP---> 3 ATP, 24 ATP (2 NADP from glycolysis behaves like FADH2)
- FADH2 passes 2 electrons to bc1 complex---> Cytochrome oxidase complex => 4 H+
1 FADH2---> 2ATP, 8 ATP





Sources:

• Nordqvist, Christian. "What Is Metabolism? How Do Anabolism and Catabolism Affect Body Weight?" Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.
• Carter-Edwards, Trent. Biology 12. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2011. Print.

U of T and ROM Halloween Trip

U of T Auditorium:

The 2 speakers, who won the Gairdner award, spoke about their experiences in the field of science. They had very different speaking styles.
The 1st speaker spoke to the audience about his experieces in science and gave advices. One of the advices is to don't be afraid to be wrong and experiment, by telling his story of making the wrong hypothesis, but still help millions with his conclusion. He also encouraged students to get involved with arts and literature.  He also used a funny approach which really engaged the audience.
The 2nd speaker used slides as an visual aid for her speech. She talked about experiences in the lab, but she also spoke about the topic of her research more, so sometimes it seemed more like a chromosome lesson. Her story also mentioned the advice of taking constructive criticism.
Overall, the speehes were inspirational, and there were many things to take away from it.

ROM:


The Largest Cast Dinosaur model in Canada

The ultimate message of the Rom tour was that in order to protect endangered species, we need to learn about them, like where they live, their habits, what they eat, and their predators.

Over the course of about 8 interesting exhibits, the story of the Passenger Pigeons  was the one that truck me the most. It was a case that marked the 100 aniversary of the extinction of Passenger Pigeons. This showed that even a species with a population of billions was be terminated with the activities of mankind in the course of only 1 decade. And the moral was to protect the species that are endangered now and not to give to the theory of "it will never go extinct because of the shear number", because it was seen in this example. And to conserve species so that the next generations can be able to experience what we have.

Passenger Pigeons; 100 Years of Silence

Leaf Pigmentation: Chemiosmosis Notes

Chemiosmosis- Hydrogen ions moving from high to low concentration through a membrane.

 

1) PSII removes electron bond from H2O (photolysis) after being stimulated by sunlight, breaking up O and H2.

2) Losing electrons means being oxidized, gaining is being reduced.

3) PQ  takes the electrons from PSII, then b6f is reduced and allows Hydrogen to move out to the thylakoid lumen.

4) PC reduces from b6f, then PSI is activated by sunlight and is reduced as well.

5) Electron then pass through Fd , FNR then NADP.

6) The bond between the two hydrogen atoms separate and one bonds to NADP to form NADPH.

7) A takes 2 phosphates to form ADP, and spins with ATP synthase.

8) Hydrogen moves through and slows the ATP synthase and ADP down, breaking off ADP and allows 1 phosphate to attach to ADP, forming ATP.

9) ATP synthase help move Hydogen ions.
10) PSII consists of proteins.

Note: Highlighted phrases refer to the movement of Hydrogen ions.