16. Inherited Change Flashcards
What is a karyogram?
Visual arrangement of chromosomes. There are 22 pairs of homologous chromosomes (autosomes) and one pair of allosomes. The X and Y allosomes do not match (Y has some portions missing).
What is a homologous pair?
(In a diploid cell) two chromosomes with the same structure and genes (alleles differ) at the same loci as each other. Form a bivalent during the first meiotic division. In the original zygote, one of each pair comes from each parent.
How can homologous pairs be distinguished?
Shape, size, distinctive banding pattern when stained.
What is a locus?
Position at which a particular gene is found on a particular chromosome (always stays the same). Eg. CF gene found on chromosome 7.
What are haploid and diploid cells?
Possess one / two complete sets of chromosomes (n and 2n, respectively).
What are the two types of nuclear division?
Growth - diploid zygote divides by mitosis to form genetically identical cells, same chromosome number as parent cells.
Sexual reproduction - chromosome number halved, achieved by meiosis (reduction division).
What is the need for a reduction division?
If the gametes were not haploid, the chromosome number would double every generation.
Outline the stages of meiosis.
Meiosis I (first division) - results in two haploid daughter nuclei. Meiosis II - like mitosis, each haploid (still diploid in terms of chromatids) daughter nucleus divides again, resulting in four haploid nuclei.
Describe the stages of Meiosis I (prophase).
- Early prophase I: centrosomes replicate, nuclear envelope intact, centromere has attached kinetochores, chromosomes start to appear.
- Middle prophase I: homologous chromosomes pair up (bivalent) in a process called synapsis. Centrosomes moving towards opposite poles.
- Late prophase I: nuclear envelope breaks up, nucleolus disappears. Crossing over may occur. Mitotic spindle fully formed.
What is crossing over?
Sections of chromatids in the bivalent ‘break’ and reconnect to a non-sister chromatid at a chiasma - maternal and paternal gene loci (and alleles) are swapped.
Describe the stages of Meiosis I (metaphase).
Bivalents line up randomly across the equator of the spindle, attached by their centromeres, via independent assortment.
What is independent assortment?
Random splitting of homologous chromosome pairs. After meiosis occurs, each haploid cell contains a mixture of chromosomes from the organism’s mother and father.
Describe the stages of Meiosis I (anaphase).
Centromeres do not divide - whole homologous chromosomes move to opposite poles, pulled by microtubules.
Describe the stages of Meiosis I (telophase).
Animal cells divide - nuclear envelope + nucleolus re-form, many plants go straight to Meiosis II.
Describe the stages of Meiosis II (prophase).
Nuclear envelope and nucleolus disappear, centrosomes and centrioles replicate + move to opposite poles of the cell.
Describe the stages of Meiosis II (metaphase).
Single chromosomes line up separately across the equator of the new spindle.
Describe the stages of Meiosis II (anaphase).
Centromeres divide and spindle microtubules pull sister chromatids to opposite poles.
Describe the stages of Meiosis II (telophase).
Like in mitosis, except four haploid daughter cells are formed.
How does meiosis increase variation?
- Crossing over (maternal and paternal alleles swapped)
- Independent assortment (daughter cells have a mix of maternal and paternal chromosomes)
- Further: fertilisation (occurs randomly)
Define ‘gametogenesis’.
Spermatogenesis = formation of male gametes Oogenesis = formation of female gametes
Describe the process of spermatogenesis.
Occurs in tubules inside testes.
- Diploid cells divide by mitosis -> many diploid spermatogonia
- These grow -> diploid primary spermatocytes.
- First meiotic division produces two haploid secondary spermatocytes.
- Second division produces haploid spermatids, which mature -> spermatozoa.
Describe the process of oogenesis (1).
Produces fewer gametes and takes much longer. Occurs inside ovaries.
- Diploid cells divide by mitosis -> oogonia
- These begin to divide by meiosis but stop at prophase I (primary oocytes, still diploid).
- All of this occurs before birth (roughly 400000).
Describe the process of oogenesis (2).
During puberty, some primary oocytes reach meiosis II (two haploid cells at this point).
- The first division is uneven - one cell gets most of the cytoplasm, -> secondary oocyte, one -> polar body (dies).
- One secondary is released into the oviduct each month - if fertilised, it continues division by meiosis -> ovum (one more polar body forms and dies).
How does fertilisation work?
Chromosomes of spermatozoan and ovum join -> diploid nucleus. Zygote divides repeatedly by mitosis -> embryo -> foetus.
Plants: male gamete from pollen grain fuses with female gamete inside an ovule.
How does gametogenesis work in flowering plants? (male gametes)
Inside the anthers, diploid pollen mother cells divide by meiosis -> four haploid cells.
- The nucleus of each divides by mitosis but no cytokinesis occurs - each cell has two haploid nuclei (tube nucleus and generative nucleus).
- These mature into pollen grains, surrounded by a wall made of tough exine and thinner intine.
How does gametogenesis work in flowering plants? (female gametes)
Inside each ovule, a large diploid spore mother cell develops.
- Divides by meiosis -> four haploid cells, all but one degenerate.
- The survivor develops into an embryo sac.
- It grows and the nucleus divides by mitosis three times (8 nuclei) - one of these = female gamete.
In plants, gametes are formed indirectly - meiosis produces pollen grains and embryo sacs, gametes are formed inside by mitotic divisions.
Define ‘phenotype’.
Organism’s observable characteristics, resulting from interactions between the genotype and the environment.
What do the numbers of each type of gamete represent?
The relative chances of each genotype being inherited. Only probability - just a theoretical value.
How do you draw a genetic diagram?
- Parental phenotypes and genotypes
- Parental gametes
- Punnett square
- Offspring phenotypes and genotypes.
Define ‘codominance’.
Both alleles have an effect on the phenotype of a heterozygous organism (eg. HbA HbS).
Define ‘dominant’ and ‘recessive’ alleles.
- Dominant alleles have identical phenotypic effects in a heterozygote and in a homozygote.
- Recessive alleles only affect the phenotype when no dominant allele is present.