A cell biologist has developed a new drug that blocks vesicle transport at the cis face of the Golgi apparatus. What will this drug prevent from happening inside a cell?

Question

A.  The synthesis of proteins or lipids on the endoplasmic reticulum.
B.  The movement of materials from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane.
C.  The movement of vesicles from mitochondria to the Golgi apparatus.
D.  The movement of the lipids and proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
 
Gather Content
· What do you know about vesicle transport? How does it relate to the question?
 
Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

D.  The movement of the lipids and proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question asks about the role of the cis Golgi.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to analyze an experiment to explain the effect of a drug that would block vesicle transportin the cis Golgi.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Cis Golgi – the Golgi is made up of parallel stacks of membrane with a cis face closest to the endoplasmic reticulum and a trans face closest to the plasma membrane.
        o Vesicle transport – vesicles are small lipid spheres that transport proteins from one organelle to another.
 
Gather Content
· What do you know about vesicle transport? How does it relate to the question?
        o Proteins made in the endoplasmic reticulum are packaged in vesicles and transported to the cis Golgi.  In the Golgi the proteins have carbohydrates added.  Next the proteins are packaged into vesicles that bud off of the trans Golgi for transport to the plasma membrane or other organelles.
 
Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Lipids are made in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, but this would not affect vesicle transport.
        o Movement of vesicles to the plasma membrane comes from the trans Golgi.
        o Vesicles don’t move from the mitochondria to the Golgi.
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o The best answer is that vesicles released from the endoplasmic reticulum would not be able to fuse with the cis Golgi.  Proteins and lipids made in the endoplasmic reticulum would not be able to enter the Golgi apparatus if the drug blocked this step.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to analyze the results of an experiment to predict the impact of a drug that blocks transport through the cis Golgi.  To do this you needed to understand the function of the cis Golgi and then what would happen if this function was blocked.  If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you recall the function of the cis Golgi?  Did you confuse it with the trans Golgi?  Did you recall the function of the cis Golgi, but could not predict what would happen if the drug blocked the cis Golgi?