APBIO Review Qs #18

Question 1

FAP

Answer 1

Fixed Action Pattern - highly stereotyped, innate behavior that is expected by a specific group
EX: newly hatched chicks
Stimulus = vibration from branched, thinks its being fed by mom

Question 2

maturation vs. learning

Answer 2

maturation = neuro-muscular control to be able to preform the behavior
learning = modification of behavior by experience

Question 3

associative learning
classical learning
operant learning

Answer 3

associative learning = ability to associate a stimulus with an outcome
(classical and operant learning)
classical learning = an arbitrary stimulus associated with a reward or punishment
(Ivan Pavlov)
EX: bell and a dog
- rang a bell, dog given treat
- dog began salivating upon hearing bell
operant learning = trialed by error learning, either to avoid or reinforce that behavior
(B. F. Skinner)
EX: mouse in a maze
- given zap in wrong direction
- once got to end, received a treat

Question 4

conjugation in bacteria

Answer 4

= the direct transfer of DNA between two cells that are temporarily combined, through a “sex pilus.” If the cells are members of different species, conjugation results in “horizontal gene transfer.”
Horizontal gene transfer - the transfer of genes from one genome to another through mechanisms such as transposable elements, plasmid exchange, viral activity, and perhaps fusion of organisms

Question 5

transduction

Answer 5

= a process in which phages (viruses) carry bacterial DNA from one bacterial cell to another
(in cellular communication, AKA signal transduction) = the conversion of a signal from outside the cell to a form that can bring about a specific cellular response

Question 6

operon (inducible and repressible)

Answer 6

= a unit of genetic function found in bacteria and phages, consisting of a promoter, an operator, and a coordinately regulated cluster of genes whose products function as a common pathway
inducible = is usually off but can be stimulated (induced) when a specific small molecule interacts with the regulatory protein
repressible = transcription is usually on but can be inhibited (repressed) when a specific small molecule

Question 7

transformation

Answer 7

= the genotype and even the phenotype can possible be altered by the uptake of foreign DNA from its surroundings
- the foreign DNA can be incorporated into the genome by homologous DNA exchange

Question 8

homologous structures

Answer 8

= structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry
EX: mammalian forelimbs
- human, cat, whale, bat

Question 9

vestigial structures

Answer 9

= a feature of an organism that is a historical remnant of a structure that served a a function in that organism’s ancestors
EX: some snakes maintain vestiges of a pelvis and legs

Question 10

polygenic inheritance

Answer 10

= an additive effect of two or more genes on a single phenotypic character
EX: skin color/pigment is controlled by at least three seperetly inherited genes

Question 11

polyploidy

Answer 11

= a chromosomal alteration in which the organism possess more than two complete chromosome sets
- result of an accidental of cell division

Question 12

epistasis

Answer 12

= a type of gene interaction in which the phenotypic expression of one gene alters that of another interdependently inherited gene
EX: there is another allele that determines whether or not pigment will be deposited into the hair

Question 13

epigenetics

Answer 13

= the study of changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence
epigenetic inheritance - inheritance of traits transmitted by mechanisms not directly involving the nucleotide sequence

Question 14

transcription

Answer 14

= the synthesis of RNA using a DNA template
Steps:
1. Initiation
- After RNA polymerase binds to the promoter, then DNA strands unwind, and the polymerase initiates RNA synthesis at the start point on the template strand.
2. Elongation
- The polymerase moves downstream \, unwinding the DNA and elongation the RNA transcript 5’–>3’. In the wake of transcription, the DNA strands re-form a double helix.
3. Termination
- Eventually, the RNA transcript is released, and the polymerase detaches from the DNA.

Question 15

translation

Answer 15

= the synthesis of a polypeptide using the genetic information encoded in an mRNA molecule

• there is change of “language” from nucleotides to amino acids
• DNA–>RNA–>Protein