Chicago Cyanide Murders

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School

Wasatch High School**We aren't endorsed by this school

Course

BIOLOGY 1010

Subject

Biology

Date

Dec 17, 2024

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Uploaded by MagistrateThunderManatee50

Name(s): _______________________________________________Date:_____Chicago Cyanide Murders: A Case Study on Cellular Respiration (Google Slides)Part 1: BackgroundIn September of 1982, Mary Kellerman gave her 12-year-old daughter a painkiller when she awoke duringthe night complaining of a sore throat. At 7 am thenext morning, her daughter was found collapsed onthe bathroom floor, and later pronounced dead.Adam Janus, a postal worker in another Chicagosuburb also died unexpectedly, though originally itwas thought he had suffered from a heart attack.While his family gathered to mourn their loss, hisbrother and sister became ill and later died.In the days that followed, three more unexplaineddeaths occurred in nearby Chicago suburbs.Investigators found that all of the victims had taken anextra strength Tylenol hours before their death. Theysuspected that someone had tampered with themedication.Symptoms exhibited by each of the victims included:●weakness, dizziness, sleepiness●flushed, bright red, skin tone●headache●shortness of breath and rapid breathing●vomiting●confusion and disorientationQuestions:1. What additional information would you need to determine if these deaths were connected? 2. If poison is suspected in the deaths, how would you proceed with the investigation?www.biologycorner.com

Part 2: Autopsy reportThe medical examiner concluded that each of the victims had died of hypoxia. Hypoxia means that the person suffered from a lack of oxygen, or they were suffocated. The reason for the hypoxia is not always clear at the first examination. Even though the victims died of hypoxia, their level of oxygen in their blood was approximately 110 mm Hg. The normal range is 75-100 mm Hg.The medical examiner also showed the tissue samples from the heart, lungs, and liver showed massive cell death. On further investigation, it was shown that the tissues had damage to the mitochondriaof the cells.3. Recall your knowledge of the function of organelles, if the mitochondrial were damaged, what process of thecells would this interfere with? 4. While poison is the main suspect in the case, what are other ways a person could die of hypoxia?5. Analyze the oxygen levels of the victims. Were the levels higher or lower than normal?How can you reconcile this observation with the cause of death being hypoxia?Toxicologyreports show that the victims had been poisoned with cyanide. The poison was traced back to extra strength Tylenol where the murderer had opened the capsules and replaced acetaminophen (a pain killer) with cyanide. Cyanide acts very quickly, often killing within minutes of ingestion and authorities were slow to identify the cause of the deaths. Once the cause was identified, stores removed Tylenol and other drugs from shelves. No one was ever charged with the crime, and it is still an ongoing investigation. Since the Chicago Tylenol murders, drug companies have changed how medicines are packaged. Cyanide is an effective poison becauseit directly interferes with cellular respirationthat occurs in the mitochondria causing death within minutes of being ingested. 6. Why are mitochondria called the “powerhouse of the cell?” What is this “power” used for and why is it important for staying alive?www.biologycorner.com

Part 3: Why Do We Need Oxygen? Everyone knows you need to breathe to live. Have you ever thought about why oxygen is so important? The victims of the cyanide poisoning all had high levels of oxygen in their blood, but the poison was interfering with how the cells use that oxygen. To understand, we need to take a very close look at the structure of the mitochondrion.Inside the mitochondria, there are several layers of membranes. In fact, these membranes resemble the membrane that surrounds the cell. It has a bilayer of phospholipids and embedded proteins. On the diagram above, the proteins are labeled I, II, III, IV, and Cytochrome C. The proteins in the membrane pass electrons from one to the other, this is known as the electron transport chain. The passing of these electrons allows ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to be generated. At the end of the electron transport chain, Cytochrome C passes the electron to its final acceptor, oxygen. Oxygen then binds with proteins to create water. This process is continuous in cells, with ATP constantly being generated and oxygen being used as the final electron acceptor. Cyanide inhibits cytochrome C, preventing the last protein from doing its job. The electron stops at the end of the chain and cannot be passed to oxygen. The whole chain grinds to a halt and no ATP can be made. 7. COLORING: → On the model of mitochondria, highlight the area (arrows) that is the ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN in yellow→ Place an X over the protein that is inhibited by cyanide.→ Color the phospholipid bilayer blue.→ Color the ATP synthase red. (This is a protein that generates ATP.)8. What is the relationship between the ETC and oxygen?9. Cyanide is an extremely fast acting poison. In fact, it was developed as a pill during World War II so that British and American spies could avoid being captured alive. Given what you know about ATP and cellular respiration, explain why cyanide is so fast acting.10. Given what you know about cyanide poisoning, do you think that giving a person oxygen would be an effective treatment? Why or why not?www.biologycorner.com