DNA Mutations are not uncommon and sometimes they cause no problems at all. When they do cause problems though, they can be life changing - sometimes for the worse and sometimes for the better. For example, sickle cell anemia is caused by a DNA mutation where only ONE base is substituted for another. This condition doesn't allow your blood to hold onto oxygen, causing issues with growth, pain, infections, and eventually death. But the life threatening malaria parasite found in mosquitoes cannot affect people who "carry" the sickle cell anemia gene. In groups watch the videos below and answer the following questions:
1. How does the malaria parasite infect a human host?
2. What does it mean when some people "carry" the sickle cell gene?
1. How does the malaria parasite infect a human host?
2. What does it mean when some people "carry" the sickle cell gene?