7A - Genes and Chromosomes

Question 1

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Answer 1

• double-stranded nucleic acid chain
• made up of nucleotides.
• carries the instructions for proteins which are required for cell and organism survival

Question 2

nucleic acid

Answer 2

• class of macromolecules that includes DNA and RNA.
• All nucleic acids are polymers made out of nucleotide monomers

Question 3

nucleotide

Answer 3

• monomer unit of nucleic acids.
• Made up of a nitrogen-containing base, a sugar molecule (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and a phosphate group

Question 4

gene

Answer 4

a section of DNA that carries the code for a gene product

Question 5

genome

Answer 5

the complete set of DNA contained within an organism’s chromosomes

Question 6

locus (pl. loci)

Answer 6

the fixed position on a chromosome where a particular gene is located

Question 7

inheritance

Answer 7

the genetic transmission of traits from parent to offspring

Question 7

histone protein

Answer 7

highly basic proteins that associate with DNA inside the nucleus and help it condense into a chromosome allowing it to fit inside the nucleus

Question 8

chromosome

Answer 8

the structure made of protein and nucleic acids that carries genetic information

Question 9

somatic cell

Answer 9

• any cell that is not a reproductive cell (such as sperm and egg cells)
• diploid (2n), meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes - one inherited from each parent

Question 10

chromatid

Answer 10

• one half of a replicated chromosome.
  Prior to cell division, chromosomes are duplicated and two copies join together at their centromeres (joined chromatids are known as sister chromatids)

Question 11

homologous chromosomes

Answer 11

• a pair of chromosomes of similar length, gene position, and centromere location.
• one from ma, and one from pa

Question 12

homologue

Answer 12

a homologous chromosome

Question 13

karyotype

Answer 13

a visual representation of an individual’s entire genome organised into homologous pairs

Question 14

autosome

Answer 14

any chromosome (1-22) in humans that is not a sex chromosome

Question 15

sex chromosome

Answer 15

a chromosome responsible for determining the biological sex of an organism. In humans, sex chromosomes can be either an X or Y chromosome

Question 16

aneuploidy

Answer 16

the addition or loss of a chromosome in an organism’s genome

Question 17

polyploidy

Answer 17

when an organism contains additional sets of chromosomes in its genome

Question 18

trisomy

Answer 18

a genetic abnormality where an organism has one extra chromosome

Question 19

monosomy

Answer 19

a genetic abnormality where an organism has one missing chromosome

Question 20

tetrasomy

Answer 20

a genetic abnormality where an organism has two extra chromosomes

Question 21

phenotype

Answer 21

the observable trait of an individual

Question 22

haploid

Answer 22

describes a single set of chromosomes (n)

Question 23

11) Identify the parts of the chromosome