Del color de los ojos al interior del genoma. Nuevas tecnologías aplicadas a la educación: una experiencia en la enseñanza de la Genética

Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte

Herramientas de aprendizaje para estudiantes de secundaria: Aplicación de la Genética a una situación real

Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte

Herramientas de aprendizaje para estudiantes de secundaria en el campo de la Genética

Se ha diseñado una actividad: la caracterización molecular de la mutación de un gen que modifica el color de los ojos en Drosophila melanogaster, partiendo de un carácter morfológico, el color de los ojos, se obtendrá la secuencia del gen responsable y su localización en el genoma de la especie. Se pretende desarrollar una actividad práctica que permita a los alumnos de segundo ciclo de la ESO comprender la genética y la genómica y cómo estos conocimientos se pueden aplicar a distintas áreas: salud, biotecnología o impacto ambiental

Influence of boiling and autoclave processing on the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and functional properties of pistachio, cashew and chestnut flours

Nuts are a rich source of nutritional compounds with beneficial effect on health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat and/or pressure processing on protein and phenolic compounds (anthocyanins, flavonols, tartaric esters and total phenols) content, antioxidant activity and functional properties of pistachio, cashew and chestnut flours. Phenolic compounds content was increased in pistachio, cashew and chestnut after heat combined with pressure processing. Antioxidant activity resulted almost not reduced by harshest autoclave condition (138 °C, 2.56 atm, 30 min) and even, was increased in chestnut. The antioxidant activity, determined by dimethyl-ρ-phenylenediamine (DMPD) as well as oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, was positively correlated with phenolic compounds content. Boiling and autoclave treatments increased water holding capacity (WHC) and water absorption capacity (WAC) in the three analysed tree nuts, and oil holding capacity (OHC) raised in processed pistachio and cashew defatted flours. Emulsifying and foaming capacities of pistachio, cashew and chestnut were negatively affected by processing as well as chestnut gelation capacity. Therefore, pistachio, cashew and chestnut flours maintaining, or even increasing, their phenolic content and antioxidant activity can be obtained by combining heat and pressure processing

Amperometric determination of hazelnut traces by means of Express PCR coupled to magnetic beads assembled on disposable DNA sensing scaffolds

A disposable amperometric sensor using magnetic microcarriers has been designed and implemented to be used in combination with the so called Express PCR to detect the presence of hazelnut traces in foodstuffs through the detection of Cor a 9 allergen coding sequence. The developed procedure involves the use of streptavidin-modified magnetic microbeads (Strep-MBs), specific biotinylated capture and detector probes which hybridize with a specific region of the gene encoding the protein Cor a 9, and appropriate primers for PCR amplification. A 50-mer synthetic target DNA or unmodified 100-bp PCR products were selective captured via sandwich hybridization with capture probe modified MBs and biotinylated signaling probes. The resulting biotinylated hybrids were coupled with a commercial streptavidin–peroxidase (Strep-HRP) conjugate and the final modified MBs were magnetically captured onto a screen-printed carbon electrode to perform amperometric detection using the H2O2/HQ system. A LOD of 0.72 pM was obtained for the synthetic target and the applicability studies demonstrated the possibility to detect the denatured PCR amplified samples obtained using only 20 pg of genomic DNA extracted from hazelnut. RSD values obtained, below 10% in all cases, confirmed the good reliability of extraction, amplification and quantification protocols involved in the developed methodology. The strict specificity of the designed primers and selected probes for hazelnut was demonstrated by performing PCR amplification of genomic DNA extracted from different hazelnut varieties and other species of similar families (pistachio, cashew, walnut and tangerine) and analyzing the resultant amplicons by the developed electrochemical sensor. The reliable and sensitive results achieved indicate that Express PCR in conjunction with an electrochemical DNA sensor, used for the first time in this work, provides a suitable sensitive, specific, and cost-effective method for routine food allergens determinations, particularly useful for resource-limited settings