This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, an undergraduate capstone course at UW-Madison.
What are model organisms?
Model organisms are extensively well studied non-Human species that were chosen to answer a particular biological question and because they were easy to breed and maintain in a laboratory environment [1]. Typically discoveries made in model organisms provide insight into the biology of other species, like Humans. Model organisms databases (MODs) are the biological databases that provide an in-depth provision of the data collected for a particular model organism.
Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD)SGD provides comprehensive integrated biological information for the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast are a great model organism because they grow quickly, are easily genetically manipulated, and provides insight into human biological processes and diseases.
GALT (GAL7) is a non-essential gene in yeast. The null-mutant phenotype cannot utilize galactose as a carbon source and has an increase in biofilm formation (S000000222). |
Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI)
MGI is the database resource for the laboratory mouse (mus musculus). The laboratory mouse is highly attractive model to study Human diseases due to its close evolutionary relationship and similar biology to humans.
According to MGI, GALT deficient mice have similar biochemical features of Humans with galactosemia, but fail to develop the acute symptoms of the disease (MGI:95638). However, recent work has developed a mouse model which displays classic Human symptoms, including reduced ovarian follicles. Thus mice are suitable model to investigate pathogenesis and new therapies [2]. |
Conclusion
Both yeast and mice show phenotypes when GALT is deleted, indicating that GALT is tightly intertwined with carbon metabolism. For my specific aims mice are more attractable as a model due to the similar phenotypes to Human galactosemia.
References
Header: http://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-are-model-organisms
1. Fields and Johnston. Whither Model Organism Research? Science 2005;307:1885-1886
2. Tang et al. Subfertility and growth restriction in a new galactose-1 phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) - deficient mouse model. Eur J Hum Genet 2014;22:1172-1179
Max Haase
Contact
Last updated: 03/27/2017
1. Fields and Johnston. Whither Model Organism Research? Science 2005;307:1885-1886
2. Tang et al. Subfertility and growth restriction in a new galactose-1 phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) - deficient mouse model. Eur J Hum Genet 2014;22:1172-1179
Max Haase
Contact
Last updated: 03/27/2017