Biology Annotations by Vattikuti, Aakash https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib Made with magic en-us 2022-02-18 18:48:56 UTC 2025-11-20 21:59:22 UTC hello@padlet.com Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056165779 We first started learning about phospholipid bilayers with envelope viruses. Viruses like Covid-19 and HIV have a lipid membrane made of 2 sheets of phospholipid molecules. These phospholipids have a hydrophilic/polar head and hydrophobic (nonpolar) tails. The hydrophilic head allows for water to pass through freely. The head has a phosphate group and glycerol making it polar due to the uneven charges. The tails are made of fatty acids that are uncharged making them non-polar. 


I attached a phospholipid structure we used in class to look at these phospholipids to check for polarity. Additionally, since there are 2 sheets of the phospholipid molecules, the heads face water on the extracellular region and water in the intracellular region as they are hydrophilic. The hydrophobic tail section is isolated in the “inside” of the membrane or essentially not touching water. If this wasn’t the case and the hydrophobic fatty acids faced the water, it would just be washed away instead of mixing. In our bubble lab experiment, we learnt that membranes can flex without breaking in a controlled environment. They can repair small tears like in the case of bubbles in the lipid bilayer. So, we saw that small, non-polar molecules can get through the lipid bilayer without causing damage or major breakage. Additionally, pores, proteins with hydrophobic ends and hydrophilic centers can drift through the bilayer. This also connects with how pores show up as organelles in some cells since they can bring outer nutrients.

]]> 2022-02-19 02:40:59 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056165779 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056168743 To begin, my infographic addresses the question of: how did vaccine researchers figure out how to pre-emptively provide immunity to SARS-COV 2 through vaccines? It goes through the process from treatment -> how the mRNA vaccine instructions cause cells to make harmless spike protein -> how the body’s immune system creates antibodies to respond to that protein -> success/future effects.   
  
  
Addressing Standard 3: Life, my infographic shows the process/flow of information of the Covid-19 vaccine. With SARS-COV 2, it hijacks a lung cell through a spike protein. The RNA sent from spike protein reproduces more viral spike proteins in the replication complex of the lung cell since the virus is a respiratory virus. These spike proteins spread to other lung cells where the immune system detects it and attempt to fight against it but might struggle depending on the immune system. SARS-COV 2 RNA never crosses the nucleus nor does it create viral DNA. It strictly creates it’s viral spike proteins through the replication complex. This is unlike the HIV hijack process where HIV attaches to CD4 proteins and pivots into the host immune cell. Viral DNA is then created through reverse transcription which is a process which takes RNA to create a copy of DNA. This viral DNA then crosses the nucleus and merges with host DNA to create new viral RNA. Then, this viral RNA creates more GP120 proteins to hijack more cells. With the mRNA vaccine to handle SARS-COV 2, it uses mRNA to send a specific message to the lung cell to replicate harmless spike proteins. These spike proteins are detected by the immune system as they are spread to other parts of the body. The immune system then creates antibodies to combat the intruding spike proteins. This process ensures the body has antibodies to fight against the actual virus if it comes into contact with its cells. If the virus does come into future contact with the body’s cells, the process is similar. The viral spike protein attaches to the lung cell membrane. The RNA of the virus tries to make contact with the replication complex but is blocked by the antibodies formed by the body’s response to the vaccine’s created spike protein. Since the virus cannot reproduce with the replication complex, it eventually dies out.  
 
In addition, according to the Modern Cell Theory, SARS-COV 2 is not living as it violates the concept that all living cells arise from pre-existing cells by division. SARS-COV 2 requires the assistance of the lung cell to be able to replicate and spread. It is unable to reproduce with itself or other SARS-COV 2 cells.  
 
 
 
Citations:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Understanding mrna COVID-19 vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html.  
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Myths and facts about covid-19 vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html.  
“What Are Mrna Vaccines and How Do They Work?: Medlineplus Genetics.” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, November 16, 2021. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/therapy/mrnavaccines/.  
 
  
]]> 2022-02-19 02:46:30 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056168743 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056170584 My infographic shows how polarity interacts with the membrane of the human cell. SARS-SOV 2 is classified as an envelope virus similar to HIV, herpes, and Influenza. It has an outer wrapping called the lipid membrane. This type of membrane is non-polar, i.e the electrons shared between two atoms in a molecule within the membrane are pulled towards each atom equally. There are no partial charges formed where electrons favor one atom more. In addition, since the membrane is non-polar it bonds to the non-polar cell lipid membrane of a human cell. If the lipid membrane of the virus was polar, it would not have bonded to the lipid membrane of the human cell since the partial charges wouldn’t distribute evenly. It would have bonded weakly to the H2O molecules surrounding the human cell membrane through an intermolecular force since water is polar.  

]]> 2022-02-19 02:50:05 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056170584 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056171346 Plasma membranes are important in compartmentalization by protecting the cell from pathogens, transporting proteins/nutrients, and discarding toxic particles from the cell that might prevent the cell from functioning properly. They create safe compartments for specific jobs for organelles to make sure they work efficiently.
 
 The cytoplasm is like the base of the cell where RNA ends up. It also aids in the process of diffusion – the way that particles can move around in a cell. The nucleus houses the genetic information like DNA/chromosomes. The process of transcription of matching base pairs occurs in the nucleus. And then the process of translation is done in the ribosomes, an organelle that makes proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum serves as an assembly line for proteins that eventually get post processed and ready to transport by the Golgi Body. Then, vesicles transport the proteins to other organelles. Another major organelle is the mitochondria which regulates energy needs of the cell. With cell signaling, the mitochondria plays a major role in giving proteins activated by conformational changes in a receptor on a fibroblast ATP to function. There are also lysosomes that help isolate infectious particles that works with the plasma membrane to discard those particles from a cell. 
 
I attached a factory analogy we used throughout the year to this post.
 

]]> 2022-02-19 02:51:36 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056171346 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056172082 My cell cycle model in Blackbaud covers mitosis, and meiosis is different in the way that it creates 2 divisions with 4 sex cells in the case of reproduction. However, mitosis and meiosis are similar in the way that they rely on S phase DNA replication. I covered the central dogma aspect of replication and how that works in my cell cycle model as quoted below.
 
“In synthesis, as previously stated, the DNA copies and replicates. In class, we learned that Histones package DNA and DNA wraps around nucleosomes and supercoil – continually twist and form a double helix shape. With replication, the DNA uncoils and shows us 2 strands of DNA that are exactly the same. DNA polymerase, an enzyme, then is able to form base pairs with these individual strands thus replicating the DNA. At the end of synthesis, the cell has 2 full chromatids.”

Mitosis is used to make somatic cells with diploid daughter cells, i.e cells with 2 sets of chromosomes. Each daughter cell has a homologous pair of each chromosome type

However, meiosis makes gametes or sex cells. Its divisions creates haploid daughter cells that have 1 set of chromosomes. Gametes that come from the division in meiosis are different than mitosis in the way that each daughter cell only has 1 chromatid of each chromosome type.
 
 Additionally, mitosis and meiosis both have similar phases of division. I extensively covered these stages in my cell cycle writeup on Blackbaud and considered cyclin production as factors that transition phases. Both start with the same number of organelles from the G1 phase. Both account for 92 total chromosomes and mark the start of a somatic cell.
 
We also learned that alleles or variations of genes can arise from the synthesis phase to prepare for meiosis. Offspring might produce different proteins from these alleles and errors in the synthesis phase which passes down through generations that follow.

 I also attached the cell cycle write-up and model to this padlet if that is easier for you. Some of this information comes from my biology journal as well.]]> 2022-02-19 02:52:42 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056172082 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056173963 I showed my understanding of this skill by showing the mechanisms and detailed process of chemical signals with a opioid molecule (signal molecule) and how it undergoes reception by binding to a G protein coupled receptor and causing it to have a shape change. I show how the transduction phase begins where the initial signal that causes a shape change which eventually causes a response which is where potassium molecules are blocked in a phosphorylated ion channel due to an overflow of sodium ions. The low concentration of potassium molecules in the ion channel causes the molecules to move in a euphoric state where they bounce off each other and move faster. I showed a more detailed process of all the parts of Reception, Transduction, and Response through my Cell Signaling model and write up which can be found on Blackbaud in the Cell Signaling Modelling assignment on Blackbaud.

I attached my write-up to this post and the model below if that is easier for you.]]> 2022-02-19 02:56:05 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056173963 Model vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056174782 2022-02-19 02:57:31 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056174782 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056175798 Enzymes can increase the rate of biochemical reactions by rearranging the position of molecules that is more energetically favorable for a chemical reaction to happen. Molecules are constantly in motion, so enzymes help position them closer to each other to trigger certain reactions to happen. Some enzymes help reposition molecules to allow for bonds to form while other enzymes help reposition molecules to cause bonds to break. In our opioid cell signaling model, we used adenylyl cyclase which is an enzyme to break down an alpha molecule and GTP. The enzyme breaks down the alpha molecule and GTP weak bonds to create cAMP. Although we didn’t show the full enzyme process in our Cell Signaling Modelling assignment on Blackbaud, we referenced it in our model through AC/adenylyl cyclase.

I attached my cell cycle write-up to this post and the model below if that is easier for you.]]> 2022-02-19 02:59:20 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056175798 Model vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056175978 2022-02-19 02:59:42 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056175978 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056177053 While I didn’t turn in a project necessarily for this standard, I understand the evolutionary process through my Bio Hour research. I researched about different animals evolving through physical alterations to adapt to climate change. According to paleontologist Jingmai O’Connor, possible surviving animals from an extinction level event caused by carbon emissions are rats, rodents, pigeons, and cockroaches. If they survive the ecological changes caused through carbon emissions destroying several climates, they will need to fill the jobs of other animals that go extinct. For example, they might need to fill spaces in the food chain due to certain predators or preys going extinct to keep the chain balanced to support life. Generally, mammal life is the main group that is being harmed by climate change which is why rodents are expected to do well in the future. Because humans have brought rats to different parts of the world, we have increased the genetic diversity of rats in different parts of the world. Because their genetic makeup is so diverse with different types of rats, they’re able to adapt much better to their new environments. They are able to change their physical features to match their environment which is similar to the arctic lizard example we saw in class where the lizard appeared white/blue to match its icy environment. It is very difficult to predict what these physical changes will be in the future, but they will most likely offer ways for animals to achieve homeostasis in their altered environments. Another big example of evolutionary process we learned about Umbilicaria, a genus of lichens that are found in rough climates. It’s made up of an algal partner and a fungus partner which use a symbiotic relationship to survive. The algal partner needs to fungus partner to find minerals and the fungal partner need the algal partner to produce sugar to be able to function. Both partners need each other to survive in their extreme climates so they merge together to be able to adapt to those conditions. In more tame climates, they do not require each other as they could function without each other. I concluded through this that in light of an environment with a lack of resources to sustain organisms, they evolve over long periods of time to adapt to changes and function more efficiently.

The research for Bio Hour can be found in my Bio Journal in entry 5 November 2021 – Golgi Body/Bio Hr. The analysis for Umbilicaria comes from the Braiding Sweetgrass Reading Discussion post in Blackbaud.

Here is the article I used:
https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/22734772/future-animals-evolution-unexplainable



]]> 2022-02-19 03:01:38 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056177053 Model vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056181689 2022-02-19 03:09:20 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2056181689 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183557565 Metabolism simply is the way our body converts nutrients that come from food and water into energy. Within cellular respiration, the process of oxidative phosphorylation within the inner membrane of the mitochondria shows how the electron transport chain in the mitochondria creates ATP. NADH gets its bond broken in Complex 1 which essentially donates 2 electrons to Complex 1. These donated electrons cause a pump in Complex 1 to push 4 Hydrogen protons into empty space and the outer membrane of the mitochondria. Then, FADH gets its bond broken by Complex 2 which donates the electrons from FADH to Complex 2. A mobile electron carrier, Q, carries these electrons through the chain to Complex 3. These donated electrons cause a pump in Complex 3 to push out 4 hydrogen protons as well. Then Complex 3 transfers the electrons to Complex 4 through the C electron carrier. Complex 4 uses these electrons to power the pump to push out 2 Hydrogen protons into open space or the outer membrane. Then the electrons are transferred out of the electron transport chain towards the outer membrane where they bind to Oxygen produced by breathing which creates H20. Finally, the electron gradient transfers the protons that were pushed from the pumps in each complex into the ATP Synthase, an enzyme that creates ATP from ADP and phosphate.

]]> 2022-05-14 01:28:27 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183557565 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183581049 Learning about the carbon cycle models this big picture energy flow with the laws of thermodynamics and the way organisms fuel growth. To begin, plants take in sunlight to be able to then fix carbon molecules from the air to itself in the process of photosynthesis to create glucose. A consumer might eat that plant and metabolize the glucose produced earlier. Then, they will release CO2 back into the atmosphere through respiration to harness energy. Plants and animals go through this process of respiration. When these organisms die, they decompose, releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere. Combustion is another factor in releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Combustion is essentially burning something. In many cases, we burn fossil fuels, masses made up of carbon, which transforms potential energy from the fuels into thermal energy when we release carbon atoms back into the atmosphere through factories. Greenhouse gases are produced with continued carbon emissions from factories causing more heat and gas to be trapped in the atmosphere resulting in less heat escaping into space. With all of these factors like respiration, decomposition, and combustion releasing carbon into the atmosphere, there are also ways in which carbon moves from the air/atmosphere back towards the ground for organisms to use. When plants photosynthesize to create glucose as discussed previously, they take carbon from the air. Oceans can also interact with carbon. In class we discussed how the ocean is considered a carbon sink and we noticed that when carbonic acid is formed in oceans, they can damage clam shells.

 

]]> 2022-05-14 02:20:28 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183581049 Annotation vattikutia23 https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183607226 Gene expression controls when certain genes should be read in a cell. With transcription and translation, it is used within the nucleus to communicate when the nucleotides of mRNA match up with A to Us for example. Changes in gene expression over time causes evolution of body parts. I've shown the transcription and translation process of gene expression in my protein project with the human growth hormone.

Displayed below is when I transcribed DNA of a HGH gene to mRNA and translated mRNA to an Amino Acid Sequence.

DNA:
cgaaccactc agggtcctgt ggacagctca cctagctgca atggctacag gctcccggac
gtccctgctc ctggcttttg gcctgctctg cctgccctgg cttcaagagg gcagtgcctt
cccaaccatt cccttatcca ggccttttga caacgctatg ctccgcgccc atcgtctgca
ccagctggcc tttgacacct accaggagtt tgaagaagcc tatatcccaa aggaacagaa
gtattcattc ctgcagaacc cccagacctc cctctgtttc tcagagtcta ttccgacacc
 
 
mRNA:
 gcuuggugag   ucccaggaca   ccugucgagu   ggaucgacgu   uaccgauguc   cgagggccug
cagggacgag    gaccgaaaac   cggacgagac   ggacgggacc    gaaguucucc   cgucacggaa
ggguugguaa   gggaauaggu  ccggaaaacu   guugcgauac   gaggcgcggg   uagcagacgu
ggucgaccgg    aaacugugga   ugguccucaa  acuucuucgg   auauaggguu  uccuugucuu
cauaaguaag   gacgucuugg   gggucuggag   ggagacaaag   agucucagau  aaggcugugg
 
Amino Acid Sequence:
Start codon is AUG
 
Met-Ser-Glu-Gly-Leu-Gln-Gly-Arg-Gly-Pro-Lys-Thr-Gly-Arg-Asp-Gly-Arg-Asp-Arg-Ser-Ser-Pro-Val-Thr-Glu-Gly-Leu-Val-Arg-Glu-x      






]]> 2022-05-14 03:15:13 UTC https://padlet.com/vattikutia23/23yl70m0vft0lhib/wish/2183607226