Hu Jian, Zhou Yi-ren, Ding Jia-lin, Wang Zhi-yuan, Liu Ling, Wang Ye-kai, Lou Hui-ling, Qiao Shou-yi, Wu Yan-hua
School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Yi Chuan. 2017 May 20;39(5):423-429. doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.17-029.
The ABO blood type is one of the most common and widely used genetic traits in humans. Three glycosyltransferase-encoding gene alleles, I, I and i, produce three red blood cell surface antigens, by which the ABO blood type is classified. By using the ABO blood type experiment as an ideal case for genetics teaching, we can easily introduce to the students several genetic concepts, including multiple alleles, gene interaction, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and gene evolution. Herein we have innovated and integrated our ABO blood type genetics experiments. First, in the section of Molecular Genetics, a new method of ABO blood genotyping was established: specific primers based on SNP sites were designed to distinguish three alleles through quantitative real-time PCR. Next, the experimental teaching method of Gene Evolution was innovated in the Population Genetics section: a gene-evolution software was developed to simulate the evolutionary tendency of the ABO genotype encoding alleles under diverse conditions. Our reform aims to extend the contents of genetics experiments, to provide additional teaching approaches, and to improve the learning efficiency of our students eventually.
ABO血型是人类最常见且应用最广泛的遗传性状之一。三个编码糖基转移酶的基因等位基因，即IA、IB和i，产生三种红细胞表面抗原，据此对ABO血型进行分类。通过将ABO血型实验作为遗传学教学的理想案例，我们可以轻松地向学生介绍几个遗传学概念，包括复等位基因、基因相互作用、单核苷酸多态性（SNP）和基因进化。在此，我们对ABO血型遗传学实验进行了创新和整合。首先，在分子遗传学部分，建立了一种新的ABO血型基因分型方法：基于SNP位点设计特异性引物，通过定量实时PCR区分三个等位基因。其次，在群体遗传学部分创新了基因进化的实验教学方法：开发了一个基因进化软件，以模拟不同条件下ABO基因型编码等位基因的进化趋势。我们的改革旨在拓展遗传学实验内容，提供更多教学方法，并最终提高学生的学习效率。
