Skip to main content
Toggle User Menu

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Español
  • Search
  • Log In/Create Account
  • Classroom Resources
  • Planning Tools
  • Professional Development
  • About Us

Amylase Copy Number and Diet

Topic
  • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Enzymes & Reactions
  • Evolution
  • Human Evolution
  • Science Practices
  • Graph Interpretation
Resource Type
  • Activities
  • Data Points
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Favorited By
5 Users
Share This
Description

This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that investigated whether there is a correlation between a population’s diet and copies of a certain gene.

Many of the foods we eat contain starch, which is broken down by an enzyme called salivary amylase. This enzyme is encoded by a gene, AMY1, that can have 2 to 15 copies per person. In this study, scientists compared AMY1 copy numbers in populations with high- and low-starch diets (Panel A), and the cumulative proportions of individuals with different AMY1 copy numbers in the sampled populations (Panel B).

The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.

Student Learning Targets
  • Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure. 
  • Discuss why having more copies of a certain gene may provide a selective advantage.
Details
Estimated Time
Within one 50-minute class period.
Key Terms

copy number variation (CNV), digestion, gene duplication, histogram, line graph, saliva, selection pressure, starch

Primary Literature

Perry, George H., Nathaniel J. Dominy, Katrina G. Claw, Arthur S. Lee, Heike Fiegler, Richard Redon, John Werner, et al. “Diet and evolution of human amylase gene copy number variation.” Nature Genetics 39, 10 (2007): 1256–1260. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng2123.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

The documents for this resource meet accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 05.09.16
Date Updated 05.09.16
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS3-2, HS-LS3-3; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1.D, SYI-3.D, IST-2.E; SP1, SP4

IB Biology (2016)

3.1, 5.2, D.1

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

5.2

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1; DP2, DP3

Materials
Image (JPG) 415 KB
Student Handout (PDF) 1 MB
Educator Materials (PDF) 1 MB

Explore Related Content

Other Related Resources
Showing of
Lessons
Diet and the Evolution of Salivary Amylase
Image from the activity
Case Studies
Lactase Persistence: Evidence for Selection
Case Studies
Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection
Data Points
New Laetoli Footprints and Hominin Body Size
An icon of a world map with many colored pie charts.
Data Points
Skin Color and Human Evolution
Chart taken from the data points paper.
Data Points
Diving Adaptations in Sea Nomads
Lessons
Blood Glucose Data Analysis
A still from an animation of lactase digesting lactose.
Animations
Lactose Digestion in Infants
Virtual Labs
Immunology Virtual Lab
Photo of the paper model in action
Labs & Demos
Building a Paper Model of CRISPR-Cas9

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Newsletter Signup
  • HHMI.org
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy