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Praxis (7005) - Elem. Ed: Science > 2B2 Basic Principles of Genetics > Flashcards

2B2 Basic Principles of Genetics Flashcards

Understand how genetic information is passed and the mechanisms of inherited traits.

1
Q

What is genetics?

A

The study of genes and DNA.

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2
Q

Who was Gregor Mendel and what was his contribution to genetics?

A
  • He was a 19th-century Austrian monk and scientist.
  • His research on the heredity of plants advanced the study of genetics.

He is often known as the ‘father of genetics’.

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3
Q

What organism did Mendel study to establish the foundations of genetics?

A

Pea plants.

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4
Q

What were some reasons Mendel chose pea plants for his experiments?

A
  • Ease of growth.
  • Controllable mating.
  • Easily distinguishable features.
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5
Q

What are some examples of traits Mendel studied in pea plants?

A
  • Flower color
  • Pod shape
  • Seed color
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6
Q

What did Mendel observe about the inheritance of traits in pea plants?

A

One trait often dominated or covered up another, leading to the description of dominant and recessive traits.

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7
Q

Who studied the concept of natural selection and its impact on genetic variation?

A

Charles Darwin

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8
Q

What is natural selection?

A

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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9
Q

What are inherited traits?

A

Traits passed down through generations due to DNA coding.

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10
Q

How do genetics and the environment influence traits like hair color?

A

Genetics provide the base color, while environmental factors like dyeing can change it temporarily.

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11
Q

What are chromosomes?

A

Linear segments of DNA containing many genes.

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12
Q

What are the two main types of chromosomes, and what distinguishes them?

A
  • Sex chromosomes: contain genes for primary and secondary sex characteristics.
  • Autosomes: contain genes for all other aspects of physiology.
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13
Q

What is a gene?

A

A section of DNA that codes for a particular protein.

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14
Q

What are structural genes and regulatory genes?

A
  • Structural genes: code for proteins contributing to cell structure.
  • Regulatory genes: control gene expression.
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15
Q

What are alleles?

A

Different versions of a gene that determine specific traits.

E.g. if the gene is eye colour, the alleles may be brown, blue, green, etc.

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16
Q

What is the genotype of an organism?

A

The combination of alleles an organism inherits for a particular gene.

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17
Q

What is the phenotype of an organism?

A

The observable traits of an organism e.g. fur colour.

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18
Q

How does a Punnett square help determine offspring genotypes?

A

It allows you to see the possible combinations of alleles from the parents, predicting the likelihood of certain traits appearing in the offspring.

19
Q

Define a genome.

A

The complete set of genetic information in an organism.

20
Q

What is the relationship between genotype and phenotype?

A

Genotype influences phenotype, but environmental factors can also play a role.

21
Q

How does natural selection influence genetic variation in populations?

A

Organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and pass on their genes, leading to genetic variation over generations.

22
Q

List some example of inherited traits.

A
  • Skin color
  • Height
  • Coat or feather color
  • Ability to resist disease or pests
  • Differences in protein function
23
Q
  • What is a locus on a chromosome?
  • Why is it important in genetics?
A
  • It is a specific location on a chromosome where a particular gene is located.
  • It is important because it helps scientists identify and map genes, contributing to our understanding of inheritance and genetic traits.
24
Q

Explain the concept of diploid and homologous chromosomes.

A
  • Humans have two copies of each chromosome, one inherited from each parent, making them diploid.
  • The two corresponding copies of a chromosome, one from each parent, are called homologous chromosomes.

Homologous chromosomes carry similar genetic information but may have different alleles for certain genes.

25
Q

What does DNA stand for?

A

Deoxyribonucleic acid

26
Q

How many genes does an individual typically have, and what do they determine?

A

An individual typically has 20,000 to 25,000 genes, each responsible for a different characteristic, such as eye color or hair color.

27
Q

What is the significance of gametes in reproduction?

A
  • They are special sex cells produced by reproductive glands (testes and ovaries), contain one copy of each gene.
  • They combine during reproduction to create offspring with a random mixture of genes.
28
Q

How does the expression of dominant and recessive genes work?

A
  • Dominant genes are expressed even with one copy.
  • Recessive genes require two copies for expression.

Dominant alleles are represented by uppercase letters, they mask the effect of recessive alleles, represented by lowercase letters.

For example, P (purple) is dominant over p (white).

29
Q

What does the example (in the diagram) of two brown-eyed parents having a blue-eyed child demonstrate?

A

How recessive traits can be expressed in offspring even when both parents have dominant traits, due to the combination of genes during reproduction.

30
Q

What incorrect belief about heredity did people have before Mendel’s discoveries?

A

People believed that traits were blended together, such as a child having a medium nose if one parent had a large nose and the other a small nose.

31
Q

Define Mendel’s first Law.

(called the Law of Segregation)

A

It states that each allele for a trait will segregate, or separate, from its partner (during meiosis) so each gamete will only have one copy of the genetic material.

32
Q

What is the significance of meiosis in Mendel’s Law of Segregation?

A

Meiosis is the process that halves the genetic information in gametes, ensuring that offspring have the correct amount of genetic material when gametes combine.

33
Q

What are the possible genetic combinations for offspring from two Bb (purple flowered) pea plants (as shown in the diagram)?

A
  • 25% chance of BB (purple)
  • 50% chance of Bb (purple)
  • 25% chance of bb (white)
34
Q

What did Mendel’s experiments reveal about heredity?

A

It showed that traits are inherited in discrete units (genes) and can reappear in subsequent generations even if they are not visible in the parents.

35
Q

When drawing punnet squares, how do we denote dominant and recessive alleles?

A

Dominant alleles are represented by uppercase letters, they mask the effect of recessive alleles, represented by lowercase letters.

For example, P (purple) is dominant over p (white).

36
Q

Which process results in the formation of 4 haploid, genetically different gametes?

A

Meiosis

37
Q

Describe Mendel’s Second Law?

A

Also known as The law of independent Assortment, it states that the outcome of one gene is not related to the outcome of another gene.

38
Q

Explain how flipping a coin related to Mendel’s Second Law?

A

Just as the result of flipping a quarter does not affect the result of flipping a penny, the outcome of one gene does not affect the outcome of another gene according to Mendel’s Second Law.

39
Q

What are linked genes?

A

Linked genes are genes that tend to be inherited together because they are located close to each other on the same chromosome.

Example: Red hair and freckles.

40
Q

How did Mendel discover the law of independent assortment?

A

Through experiments on pea plants, observing the independent assortment of alleles for pea color (yellow or green) and pea shape (round or wrinkled).

41
Q

What did Mendel observe when crossing pea plants for two traits?

A

That the ratios of 9 yellow round, 3 yellow wrinkled, 3 green round, and 1 green wrinkled, matching the predicted results from a Punnett square.

42
Q

How can Mendel’s Second Law help in medical research?

A

Understanding independent assortment and gene linkage can help scientists discover the genetic basis of diseases and develop treatments by identifying linked genes.

43
Q

Are all genes independently assorted according to Mendel’s second law?

A

No.

Some genes are linked together and do not assort independently, such as red hair and freckles.

44
Q

What does it indicate if actual genetic results do not match the expected Punnett square results?

A

It indicates that the genes might be linked, meaning they do not assort independently and tend to be inherited together.

Praxis (7005) - Elem. Ed: Science (36 decks)

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