CBRC E-Hand Outs

Subject Science, Technology, and Society

Topic  Specific Issues in STS
o Biotechnology
o Ecology
o Climate change

Prepared by: Jason G. Jimenez, LPT

Macromolecules
Macromolecule Basic unit Bond

Carbohydrate Monosaccharide Glycosidic bond

Protein Amino acid Peptide bond

Lipid Fatty acid Ester bond

Nucleic Acid Nucleotide Covalent bond

Hydrogen bond

Levels of Biological Organization

Atom = composed of proton, neutron, electron.
Molecule = atom with different atoms.
Organelle = molecule with different molecules.
Cell = organelle with different organelles.
Tissue = cell with different cells. (Note: Blood = the only liquid tissue in the human body)
Organ = tissue with different tissues.
Organ system = organ with different organs.
Organism = organ system with different organ systems.
Population = organism with same organisms.
Community = population with different populations.
Ecosystem = living things with non – living things.
Biome = ecosystem with different ecosystems.
Biosphere = biome with different biomes.
Specific Issues in STS
 Biotechnology

Nucleic Acid
 Has nucleotide as the basic unit. Note: Nucleotide is different from nucleoside,
nucleoside has nitrogenous bases with sugar group only.

 Has a covalent bond connecting a sugar and phosphate group of a nucleotide.

 Has a hydrogen bond connecting nitrogenous bases of 2 strands of nucleotides.

Nucleotide has 3 components:

1. Phosphate group = same in DNA and RNA

2. Sugar group

3. Nitrogenous bases

Examples:
o DNA
o Deoxyribonucleic acid

o Has deoxyribose as sugar

o Has adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine

o RNA
o Ribonucleic acid

o Has ribose as sugar

o Has adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Differences Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Double stranded Shape Single stranded

Deoxyribose Sugar Ribose

Loss 1 atom of oxygen Number of oxygen Complete number of

oxygen

Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Nitrogenous bases Adenine, Guanine,

THYMINE Cytosine, URACIL

Who discovered DNA? Rosalind Franklin

Who structured the model of the DNA? Watson and Crick
Based on Chargaff’s rule
 Pyrimidine nitrogenous base is always complementary to purine nitrogenous
base.

 Hence in DNA, Cytosine is always paired to Guanine and Adenine is always

paired to Thymine.

o Note: Cytosine and Thymine are pyrimidine nitrogenous bases and

Guanine and Adenine are purine nitrogenous bases.

 Hence in RNA, Cytosine is always paired to Guanine and Adenine is always

paired to Uracil.

o Note: Cytosine and Uracil are pyrimidine nitrogenous bases and Guanine
and Adenine are purine nitrogenous bases.

Heredity versus Genetics

Heredity = passing of traits from one generation to another generation.

Genetics = study of variation & passing of traits from one generation to another
generation.

Levels of Chromosomal Organization

Gene = made up of nucleic acids that contains a specific trait.

Chromatin = made up of nucleic acid strands. Hence, it contains many genes.

Histones = a protein in which the chromatin is wrapped around.

Nucleosome = composed of multiple chromatins that are wrapped around histones.

Chromosome = composed of many nucleosomes joined together.

Centromere = holding the p-arm (upper arms of chromosome) and q-arm (lower arms of
chromosome).

Genome = composed of many chromosomes

Chromosomal Alterations

Alteration Description

Deletion A segment of chromosome is removed

Inversion A segment of chromosome is inserted backward
Duplication A segment of chromosome is copied and inserted in homologous
chromosome
Translocation A segment of chromosome is copied and inserted to other
nonhomologous chromosome
Chromosomal Disorders
Name of chromosomal disorders Description

Trisomy 13 Patau Syndrome with 3 copies of 13th body

chromosome

Trisomy 18 Edward Syndrome with 3 copies of 18th body

chromosome

Trisomy 21 Down Syndrome with 3 copies of 21st body

chromosome

Lethal Gene Human with only Y sex chromosome

Turner Syndrome Human with only X sex chromosome

Klinefelter Syndrome Human with XXY sex chromosomes

Metafemale/ Superfemale Human with XXX sex chromosomes

Jacob Syndrome Human with XYY sex chromosomes

DNA technology – manipulation of deoxyribonucleic acid through the technique of

genetic engineering called nucleic acid hybridization.

Nucleic acid hybridization – direct manipulation of the genes on the base pairing of one
strand of a nucleic acid to a complementary sequence from one nucleic acid strand
either DNA or RNA.

Gene therapy – a technique used to correct or enhance the gene sequence by replacing
or inactivating a distinct gene sequence. Because if the wrong gene sequence or
disadvantageous gene sequence is not corrected, it may cause malfunction to the
expression of the gene. In replacing the wrong gene sequence, it may happen by
providing the proper gene sequence to the recipient.

Here is the detailed sample process of a gene therapy:

1. It may work by using a plasmid of a bacteria. The plasmid is a circular nucleic

acid molecule of a bacteria. The plasmid is altered by modifying its genetic
sequence by inserting a functional gene.

2. Once the functional gene is added to the plasmid, the plasmid is inserted to the
bacteria.

3. Once the bacteria with modified plasmid will divide, through binary fission, the
modified plasmid with functional gene will increase in number.

4. Once the functional gene increase in number, these copies of gene will be
extracted and will be used to treat or correct the gene sequence of the organism.
  Ecology

Ecological Relationship Organism 1 Organism 2 Example

Mutualism or Symbiosis + + Bee & Flower

Commensalism + 0 Bird & Tree

Amensalism - 0 Human & Ant

Parasitism + - Intestinal worm & Human

Competition - - Tiger & Lion

 Intraspecific
competition = between
same species
 Interspecific
competition = between
different species

Predation (with act of killing) + - Tiger & Monkey

Grazing (without act of killing) + - Carabao & Grass

Ecosystem is composed of living things (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things such as
sun, water, air, and soil.
Biome = ecosystem with different ecosystems

Terrestrial Biome Ecosystems found on land Characterized by the

amount of precipitation
and level of temperature

Aquatic Biome Ecosystems found on Characterized by the level

water of salinity

Biosphere = joined with different biomes

What is the ultimate source of energy in our biosphere?

Sun, the ultimate source of all energy based on 1st law of thermodynamics – energy is
nor created, nor destroyed. Energy is transform from one form to another.

Renewable energy VS Non-renewable energy

 Renewable energy can be replenished easily in a short period of time.
 Non-renewable energy cannot be replenished easily and requires a long
period of time in order to recharge.
  Climate change
o A gradual and long term modification of Earth’s local, regional, and global
climate

What are the causes and effects of climate change?

1. Production of chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs (from aerosol spray/ air conditioner/

refrigerators) >>>>> thinning of ozone layer

2. Thinning of ozone layer >>>>> adjustment of light intensity

3. Adjustment of light Intensity >>>>> increase of environmental temperature

4. Deforestation >>>>> increase of atmospheric carbon accumulation

5. Industrial activity >>>>> increase production of atmospheric carbon

Greenhouse effect is when the heat radiating from the warmed planet is absorbed by
the gases in the atmosphere, which then reflect some of the heat back to Earth.

Global warming is cause of increasing amount of greenhouse gases.

Examples of greenhouse gases are:
 Carbon dioxide (CO2)
 Methane (CH4)
 Nitrous oxide (N2O)

Eutrophication is a phenomenon in which the plants, especially the algae grow

numerously and excessively.

What causes the algal bloom? When the bodies of water becomes polluted with organic
waste materials.

How algal bloom affects the aquatic animals? When the algae die, they consume the
oxygen present on the bodies of water. Hence, if the oxygen is consumed by the dying
algae, the oxygen will be depleted and may cause the death of the aquatic animals.

References:

Cain, M., Minosky, P., Orr, R., Urry, L., & Wasserman, S. (2021). Campbell biology 12th
edition. Hoboken: Pearson Education Inc.
Commision on Higher Education. (2013). ched.gov.ph. Retrieved from Science,
technology, and society: https://ched.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2017/10/Science-Technology-and-
Society.pdf?fbclid=IwAR13F6bcKqPBq4matCJJvE1LF7yrVogVLB84DUDCywxZ
Sw9AOJJyjE6qMg4