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Apply today for the HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador Academy! The Academy is a multi-year professional development experience designed to support evidence-based teaching practices. We’re looking for educators with diverse backgrounds and teaching contexts who are committed to centering equity in their classrooms.Identifying Autism Genes by Tracking Gene Mutations
Resource Type
Description
This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that used SNP genotyping to identify genes involved in autism.
In this study, scientists collected data from a family with an autistic son to locate genes that may contribute to autism. The scientists used a genotyping technique called homozygosity mapping to find mutations associated with recessive genetic conditions. The figure shows a pedigree for the family (left) and SNP genotyping results for each family member on chromosome 3 (right). Red and blue vertical stripes indicate homozygous SNPs, yellow stripes represent heterozygous SNPs, and white gaps represent genetic deletions.
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.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure.
- Describe how genotyping techniques can be used to identify genes associated with certain traits.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
gene deletion, gene map, heterozygosity, homozygosity, microarray, pedigree chart, recessive trait, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), SNP genotyping
Primary Literature
Morrow, Eric M., Seung-Yun Yoo, Steven W. Flavell, Tae-Kyung Kim, Yingxi Lin, Robert Sean Hill, Nahit M. Mukaddes, et al. “Identifying Autism Loci and Genes by Tracing Recent Shared Ancestry.” Science 321, 5886 (2008): 218–223. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1157657.
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Terms of Use
Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-LS3-1; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5
AP Biology (2019)
IST-1.I, IST-2.E, SYI-3.C; SP1, SP2
IB Biology (2016)
3.1, 3.4
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5
Vision and Change (2009)
CC3; DP2, DP3