PTC tasting: Incomplete dominance or Complete dominance?

[This is quite random, and well ... might go over some people's head's, haha]

I've been wanting to do this for awhile [let people know what I've been studying/learning all semester] and since this is what I've been mostly working on for the past few weeks I want to share my findings from BIO277 on PTC tasting, haha.
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Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) is a chemical compound that, depending on the individual, one can or cannot taste. This is because of their genetic make-up. For those that can taste it, they are homozygous dominant (TT) or heterozygous (Tt). Those that cannot taste it are homozygous recessive (tt). The whole point of the lab was to figure out if PTC tasting is an example of incomplete dominance or complete dominance.

If you don't remember any of your high school biology or if you're not a biology person at all, you're probably asking yourself, "WTF RICK!? I don't care ..."

Incomplete dominance would result in three phenotypes: non-taster, weak taster, or strong taster. This means that the first allele would determine the ability to be a taster or not, and the second allele determining the strength of the taster.

Complete dominance would result in two phenotypes: non-taster and taster. This means that the first allele determines whether or not one can taste the chemical compound. This also means that there is no strength of the taster, TT & Tt both result in being able to taste the compound.

From past studies, PTC tasting does not follow the typical Mendelian pattern, which is complete dominance. In the case of PTC it actually follows the incomplete dominance.

While I and others were writing/working on our results section we all probably ran into a problem. The data from our chi-square analysis was not supporting the hypothesis of incomplete dominance. What it did support was the second hypothesis dealing with complete dominance.

That totally contradicted what other studies had shown. What went wrong?

What could have gone wrong was that the matter of "strength" of taste is totally subjective from one individual to another. There ability to taste could have been subjective. In all honesty, you either tasted it, or you didn't.
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I just educated you in genetic inheritance :)

Now go study!

13 minutes left...

Last week Rick and I went to the library at like 11:20 p.m. Yeah, I know, sounds kinda pointless when there's only 40 minutes left.

Anywho, when there was 15 minutes left, one of the workers came over and did the basic protocol for informing students that there's only 15 minutes left until closing. Only difference was that this library worker didn't just pause to tell me, he came over, leaned up on the computer desk I was sitting at, and said, "Hey. The library closes in 15 minutes." I was like, "Thanks." In my head, I was just thinking, "Why did he stop to tell me that when most of the workers just walk by and say that?" Interesting.

Not only that, but when I went to check out my books, one worker was already stationed at the counter, and the guy that told me there was 15 minutes left decided to help out. Both were really helpful, but still. I'm pretty sure that's a one person job.

So...last night, Rick and I encounter the 15 minute guy, but this time when he came around, there was only 13 minutes left...?!?! What?! haha Also, Rick really wanted to wave at him when he was shelving books. Mind you, we don't even know this guy's name. In fact, I've never seen him before until last week. Weird...?

I'm sure we'll encounter him again on a late Wednesday night...even Thursday. Who knows?

Tonight, Rick and I are taking a break from the library and studying it up in Fields/Schoenfeldt Halls. Rick has some major tests tomorrow, while I have to finalize my topic for my capstone and get some stuff done before leaving this weekend. Hopefully I do.

Well, thanks for keeping up with our blog thus far. We'll have more adventures next week! See ya. :)