Throughout the development of the digital archive, the assessment of resources to include was based on three questions: Does the topic relate to master regulatory genes? Is the source material manageable for the intended audience? Lastly, and most importantly, is the source interesting and enjoyable to study? From these questions we were able to generate three separate collections of information, each intended for a different audience, 3rd graders, Non-Scientist Adults, and Peer Scientists (CC MB Majors), that should be both informative and fun to study. We diversified our resource formats, including podcasts, videos, articles, or games to keep all viewers engaged. In addition, we included artwork and cartoons within our Exhibits tab that describe and utilize master regulatory genes, genes, DNA, and heredity to give all types of audience a unique medium to visualize these difficult topics. While our sources may be diverse, each share a similar purpose: to build upon the foundation of biology or create a new understanding of genetics and gene regulation. Because of this, we began to realize that many of the sources are interconnected with respect to content and the general method of presenting information. The many resources across our collections connect and build upon each other, all with the same goal of educating a wide array of people about DNA, genes, heredity, and master regulatory genes.
When selecting sources for our 3rd grade audience, we ran into trouble trying to determine what current 3rd graders know about master regulatory genes. After countless searches, we concluded that we should develop an archive with the assumption that 3rd graders have no knowledge of these topics so that we do not overwhelm any viewers. To accomplish this, we compiled sources such as “Monster Maker” and “Where did you get those genes” which introduce genes and heredity without needing a biology background. While our topic is master regulatory genes, we figured that a topic this advanced would be too difficult to directly address for 3rd graders. To develop a foundation of heredity, we selected “Where did you get those genes” for the third-grade audience. This source is an interactive lesson that contains colorful cartoons and an engaging dialogue geared towards elementary schoolers. “Where did you get those genes” relies on jokes and real-world examples to teach heredity and genetics. Completing the lesson seems like an achievement, as the planners developed it flow similarly to a game meant to be conquered. We liked this source for 3rd graders for many of these reasons, which is also why we selected “Monster Maker” as another item to archive within our 3rd grade collection. Like “Where did you get those genes,” “Monster Maker” uses bright colors and an interactive game platform to teach how DNA codes for physical traits within organisms, or “Monsters” as this game utilizes. The user decodes false DNA triplet code to spell out various physical traits that each code develops, educating children on how DNA influences themselves and others in “Monster Maker”. Both of these sources utilize bright colors and cartoon-like animations to keep the attention of the viewer and prevents students from realizing they are learning school material, making each source even more effective. In addition, these items connect with each other, as “Where did you get those genes” builds the foundation of heredity, where “Monster Maker” dives deeper onto what mechanisms allow for heredity, DNA. These sources allow for the fostering of a strong foundation of genes, DNA, and heredity, which will allow for subsequent discussion of master regulatory genes in 3rd graders future academic interests.
The review article “The regulation of Sox9 expression in the gonad” by Gonen et al., poses the question of what enhancers regulate Sox9 expression in adults. They question how adult testis are maintained and how the Sox9 pathway plays a part in this. Croft et al., highlight some initial enhancers of Sox9 they discovered in “Human sex reversal is caused by duplication or deletion of core enhancers upstream of Sox9.” They identified three enhancers, eSR-A, eSR-B, and eALDI, that effect Sox9 expression depending on the circumstances. These sources were selected for our Peer Scientist (CC MB Majors) collection as to further concepts of master regulatory genes in sex determination. In addition, both sources utilize similar methods to convey information regarding master regulatory genes such as in-depth figures and diagrams to better visualize various experimental results. “Human sex reversal is caused by duplication or deletion of core enhancers upstream of Sox9” and much more of Croft’s work are discussed in Gonen et al., and likely played a part in inspiring Gonen’s questions surrounding Sox9, which further builds upon the area of master regulatory genes involved in sex determination. Interest in Sox9 expression, especially in adults, ties back to the idea of sex maintenance, a key regulatory pathway within organisms. Croft et al., explores the possibility of sex reversal directly and provides primary data for potential sex reversal in mice upon removal or duplication of the enhancers identified by Croft et al. Because Gonen et al. is a review article, it covers a lot of previous research done in the field and on the topic of sex maintenance and sex reversal, further building upon the work of Croft et al and previous researchers. Both articles place a heavy focus on Sox9 and the Sox9 regulatory pathway and therefore are inherently tied together. This pathway is well known and continuously being researched because of its importance in sex differentiation and sex maintenance. The activation of Sox9 by SRY, a master regulator of sex determination, is implicated in this field of research as well. SRY is understood to initiate the male sex differentiation pathway which is an area of much interest. Sex differentiation and maintenance has many implications from better understanding disorders of sex development to assisting transgender people’s transitions.
When reading primary literature articles, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Remembering how genetic regulation and genetics in general relate to day-to-day life while in the depths of attempting to understand the molecular mechanics of a regulatory pathway can be challenging. Given that, videos, podcasts, and other forms of media that may be less directly scientific and more based in easy-to-understand descriptions can be very useful. The Khan Academy video “Regulatory genes | Behavior | MCAT” within the Non-Scientist Adults collection talks about the ways that genes and specifically gene regulation influences phenotypes and the ways that behavior influences genes and genetic regulation. This video contextualizes and serves as a reminder for how articles such as Gonen et al., located in the Peer Scientists (CC MB Majors) collection, are relevant to people beyond the expansion of scientific knowledge. Gonen et al. talks about sex differentiation and maintenance, but mostly discusses the specific enhancers and pathways tied to Sox9, using advanced terminology and figures. This is, of course, important, but simply focusing on the molecular and cellular details detracts from the very real implications of the work they discuss. Although the Khan Academy video does not specifically discuss sex maintenance, it does explain how details of gene regulation play out in noticeable ways. Media such as the video directly speak back to scientific articles such as Gonen et al., in the ways they remind scientists to contextualize and remember what the data they collect actually means.
While the collections within the Master Regulatory Genes archive may be intended for different audiences, the resources within each are interconnected and build upon each other. This archive can be viewed as a staircase, with each collection being a step towards a more complete understanding of master regulatory genes. Furthermore, by the nature of a staircase, each collection is connected and builds upon the work of the previous. Whether it be cartoons and games in the 3rd grader collective, videos for non-scientist adults, or primary literature articles for CC molecular biology majors, each is able convey unique information about genetics using similar methods to aid in the understanding of master regulatory genes. Through these connections, this archive catalyzes conversations about genetics across a diverse array of audiences. We hope that these conversations will evolve into lessons and research that will further the field of genetics and continue to solve the many mysteries surrounding master regulatory genes across all organisms.