Animal genomics

Question 1

What are transposable elements?

Answer 1

DNA sequences that move from one location on the genome to another

Question 2

What is the c-value paradox?

Answer 2

There is no relationship between genome size and complexity of organisms

Question 3

What does duplication cause and why can it change gene expression?

Answer 3

Duplication increases gene dose—> more copies of the same gene might increase the chances of tat genes expression

Question 4

What does deletion do and why is it important in genetic variation?

Answer 4

1. Formation of new genes( out with the old in with the new)
2. Some will be gone, or will change function or appearance and some might not change function but not change much

Question 5

What is an insertion of mobile elements?

Answer 5

Type of mutation that involves the addition of one or more nucleotides into a segments of DNA

Question 6

How does insertion of mobile elements cause genetic variation? (2 points)

Answer 6

1.Change of gene regulation
2. Change of protein structure and fucntion

Question 7

Whats so special about placental specific orthologs? Give an example

Answer 7

Placental orthologs are only present in placenta in developing animals, meanaing they are highly specific to the species and animal
Platapus have genes for venom, highly specific for a mammal.

Question 8

What are the 3 types of point mutations?
Give their names and action.

Answer 8

1. Change in AA (MISSENSE)
2. breaking genes (Nonsense)—> Gives rise to STOP codon!!
3. Have no obvious effect (silent)–>change in codon sequence (triplet) but not in protein structure

Question 9

What caused the NMR to lose its vision and why is it adapted like this?

Answer 9

Nonsense mutation (stop codon)
Vision does not develop due to the stop codon
NMR live underground so dont really nee vision

Question 10

NMR: how do we know its a gene casuing the mole rat to be hairless?

Answer 10

Same gene as a hairless rat

Question 11

What happened to the NMR taste perception?

Answer 11

Gene loss —> loss of taste perception function, doenstn need to taste their food

Question 12

What causes the grey phynotype in horses?
Name the mutation and where this mutation is found.

Answer 12

Limited to chromosome 25
4.6kb duplication mutation

Question 13

Whats the name of the gene which when mutated causes double muscling in cattle?

Answer 13

MSTN

Question 14

What are quantitative traits controlled by?

Answer 14

Multiple genes most with small effects

Question 15

Milk production is important! DGAT1 knock-out in mice causes issues with lactation. For milk production to increase what happens to the gene in cattle to enchance milk?

Answer 15

Coling/duplication of DGAT1

Question 16

What are the 3 things that might occur when duplication and deletion occurs?

Answer 16

1. Subfunctionisation
2. Neofunctionalisation
3. Degeneration/Gene loss