Answer the following statement(s) true (T) or false (F)

Question

1.  Treating a plant with a fungicide could interfere with the plant's uptake of nitrogen.  
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 already know about about the relationship between plants and fungi? 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?

2.  Parasitic fungi will usually attack a plant through stomata on the root surface.  
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 already know about about how parasitic fungi interact with plants? 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?

3. Systemic response occurs when plants exhibit generalized defense responses in organs distant from the wound. 

4.  Using biotechnology, plant breeders attempt to find and incorporate specific resistance genes into plants that lack them. Once a plant has been given a resistance gene, it will have indefinite protection from the associated pathogen.  

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 already know about about gene insertion and genetic variation? 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?

5. If a bacterium containing a mutation in the avirulence gene lands on a plant that has the corresponding R gene, the bacterium may not initiate rapid cell death in the plant.  

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 already know about about avirulence and R genes? 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

1. FALSE
Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question is asking about the role of fungi in plant life.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to take what you already know and apply it to assess the importance of fungi to plants.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Fungicide, which is a substance that kills fungi.
        o Nitrogen, which is an element that is an essential part of substances such as amino acids and proteins.

Gather Content
· What do you already know about about the relationship between plants and fungi? How does it relate to the question?
        o Mycorrhizal fungi form mutualistic associations with plants.
        o Plants provide the fungi with carbohydrates, while the fungi enhance the phosphorus uptake by plants.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Bacteria form mutualistic associations with plants in that they change nitrogen into a form that is usable by plants.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Since it is bacteria, not fungi, that fix nitrogen for plants, killing the fungi around a plant would not affect nitrogen uptake.

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?
· Apply level:
        o This question asked you to understand the role of fungi in plant life. Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to use the relationship between fungo and plants in a new situation. If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that fungi aid phosphorus uptake by plants, or that bacteria aid nitrogen uptake? Did you have trouble extending the role of fungi to determine the correct answer?

2. FALSE
Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question is asking about how parasitic fungi enter a plant.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to take what you already know and apply it to how parasitic fungi enter plant hosts.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Parasitic, which is an organism that feeds off another organism.
        o Stomata, which are small openings on the surface of a plant.  

Gather Content
· What do you already know about about how parasitic fungi interact with plants? How does it relate to the question?
        o Parasitic fungi do enter their host plants through stomata.
        o Stomata occur on the leaves of plants.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Stomata do not occur on the roots of plants.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Although parasitic fungi do enter a host plant through stomata, this occurs on the leaves of plants.  Roots do not possess stomata.

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?
· Apply level:
        o This question asked you to assess the route of entry for parasitic fungi into a plant host.  Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to use the pathway for parasitic fungi in a new situation.  If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that parasitic fungi enter a plant through the stomata, and that stomata occur on the leaves of a plant? Did you have trouble extending the mode of entry to determine the correct answer?

3. TRUE
Systemic means that the response occurs throughout the body of the organism.

4. FALSE
Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question is asking about the longevity of the effect of a resistance gene that has been inserted.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to evaluate the consequences of the insertion of a resistance gene into a plant.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Biotechnology, which uses cellular processes to enhance new products.
        o Resistance gene, which is a gene that gives a plant protection against a disease.
        o Pathogen, which is a disease-causing agent.

Gather Content
· What do you already know about about gene insertion and genetic variation? How does it relate to the question?
        o Proteins are constructed from recipes specified in the DNA of an organism.
        o DNA is subject to change via mutation.
        o Resistance genes produce R proteins.
        o R proteins interact with avirulence (avr) proteins in pathogens, signaling the presence of the pathogen to the plant’s defense system.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o If the avr gene mutates, the protein will change.
        o If the avr protein changes, the R protein will not recognize it.
        o If recognition does not occur, the defense pathway will not take place.
        o Without the defense pathway, the plant is vulnerable to the pathogen.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o As long as genes and gene products such as the avr protein can change, as is always possible through mutation, it is possible that recognition will not occur between the R protein and the avr protein. If this recognition does not occur, the defense pathway does not occur and the plant is not protected from the pathogen.

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?
· Evaluate level:
This question asked you to evaluate how long protection against a pathogen can last. Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to evaluate the possibility of genetic change. If you got the correct answer, well done! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that recognition is based on the structure of the R protein and the avr protein, or the criteria to compare genetic change can cause a change in the shape of a protein? Did you have trouble weighing the merits of genetic change and a corresponding change in protein shape to determine the correct answer?

5. TRUE
Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question is asking about the extent of the effect of a mutation in an avr gene.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to evaluate the consequences of a mutation in an avr gene in a bacterium.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Resistance gene, which is a gene that gives a plant protection against a disease.
        o avr gene, which is a gene that aids in the recognition of a pathogen.

Gather Content
· What do you already know about about avirulence and R genes? How does it relate to the question?
        o Proteins are constructed from recipes specified in the DNA of an organism.
        o DNA is subject to change via mutation.
        o Resistance genes produce R proteins.
        o R proteins interact with avirulence (avr) proteins in pathogens, signaling the presence of the pathogen to the plant’s defense system.
        o Once a pathogen is recognized, rapid cell death may occur in the plant to prevent the spread of the pathogen.

Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o If the avr gene mutates, the protein will change.
        o If the avr protein changes, the R protein will not recognize it.
        o If recognition does not occur, the defense pathway will not take place.
        o Without the defense pathway, the plant is vulnerable to the pathogen.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o As long as genes and gene products such as the avr protein can change, as is always possible through mutation, it is possible that recognition will not occur between the R protein and the avr protein. If this recognition does not occur, the defense pathway does not occur and the plant is not protected from the pathogen.

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?
· Evaluate level:
This question asked you to evaluate the effects of mutation in a gene involved in pathogen recogntion. Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to evaluate the possibility of genetic change. If you got the correct answer, well done! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that recognition is based on the structure of the R protein and the avr protein, or the criteria to compare genetic change can cause a change in the shape of a protein? Did you have trouble weighing the merits of genetic change and a corresponding change in protein shape to determine the correct answer?