SIR JOHN B GURDON

(1933)
Sir John B Gurdon was born on
2nd October, 1933 at Dippenhall,
Hampshire, UK. He is best known for his
pioneering research in nuclear
transplantation and cloning.
He attended Eton college and ranked last
out of the 250 students in this year group at
biology. A report written by one of his
teachers called his ambition to devote himself
to science ridiculous.
He pursued his dream nevertheless and got his Ph. D. degree from
Oxford University. Earlier it was thought that mature cell could not
return to an immature state, but this has now been proved incorrect. Sir
John Gurdon removed the nucleus of a fertilised egg cell from a frog and
replaced it with the nucleus of a cell taken from a tadpoles intestine.
This modified egg cell grew into a new frog. It proved that the mature
cell still contained the genetic information needed to form all types of
cells. In 2012, Gurdon was awarded, jointly with Shinya
Yamanaka, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for
his this discovery. He was awarded with Albert
Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (2009)
and Edwin Grant Conklin Medal (2001)
also.

CROSSWORD
DOWN

1. The animals in which the body cavity is absent. (10)

3. The undifferentiated plant tissue at the top and side of root, shoot from which new cells
arise. (8)
5. The second phase of the first prophase of meiosis, in which pairing of homologous
chromosomes takes place. (8)
7. Cause potato spindle tuber disease. (6)
8. A hypothetical plant hormone which induces flowering. (8)
10. The unit of gene in which recombination occurs.(5)
11. A plant hormone that initiates rooting in stem cuttings. (5)
15. A span of time having many periods. (3)

ACROSS
2. An area of condensed cytoplasm usually near
the nucleus, containing one or two centrioles. (10)
4. A biological pigment found in the rods of the
retina. (9)
6. Nutritive material stored in an ovum. (4)
9. One of the purine base of nucleotides of DNA
and RNA. (7)
12. The interstitial fluid, similar to blood plasma
but colourless and contains less proteins. (5)
13. The effect of foreign pollen grains on
endosperm. (5)
14. One of the bones that forms the wrist in
terrestrial vertebrates. (6)

5
6

15

K
14

C A

L
7

13

X E

A
D

11

10

E
I
N

12

Puzzles To Puzzle You

Answers of September 2016 issue

Crossword
29

Identify me and write my name in the space provided.

2
1

3
12

5
10

18

35

11

E
37
4

16

F
P

24
32

I
26
5

31

N
T

A
8

13

39

U
P

21

V
I

27

D
17

28

23

O
T

14

20

33

36

34

15

25

38

22

Six week human foetus

1. In the presence of SRY protein, I, a part of 1, develops

into testis .......... .
2. In the absence of SRY protein, I, a part of 1,
develops into .......... .
3. I cause the 2 to disappear ........... .
4. I convert 3 into seminal vesicle, vas
deferens and epididymis ........... .
5. In my absence 2 becomes the
Fallopian tube, uterus and upper
part of the vagina. .......... .

19

40

U
U

30

C
K

Puzzles to Puzzle You

1. Chordae tendineae,
3. Papillary muscles,
5. Superior vena cava.

2. Pulmonary semilunar valve,

4. Tricuspid valve,

BIOLOGY
Role of Small Molecules in Smarter Destressed
Cereal Breeding
In cereal breeding programmes, improved yield
potential and stability are two ultimate goals while
developing new varieties. This could be achieved by
developing varieties that could grow under stressful
conditions.
Small RNA (sRNA) mediated pathways are associated
with the regulation of genes involved in stress
adaptation and reproduction in several plants and
cereals. Reproductive and physiological traits such as
flowering time, reproductive branching and root
architecture can be manipulated by sRNA regulatory
modules. These smarter cereal breeding strategies
could be one of the most promising solutions to
improve agricultural productivity.

Waal! mommy
i cut myself.

Millions of little things called cells

run to the area and divide until they
cover the area and close the cut.

How is it gonna heal?

Don't worry honey
it'II heal.

it's called cell division.

Thats awesome!

Oh dear, Alisha
dont jump
on the bed.