B2B - part 2 Flashcards
What is DNA?
It contains all the instructions to put an organism together and make it work and is found in the nucleus in long molecules called chromosomes
What are chromosomes?
Really long molecules of DNA (Found in pairs in the nucleus)
What is a gene?
a section of DNA that contains the instructions to make a specific protein (tells cells in what order to put the amino acids in)
How are proteins made?
what makes them?
Cells make proteins by stringing amino acids together in a particular order
Is everyones DNA the same?
No all unique, except for identical twins and clones
What is genetic fingerprinting?
cutting up a persons DNA into small sections and separating them. This shows everyones unique pattern so you can tell people apart by comparing DNA
What is genetic fingerprinting used for?
- forensic science - DNA is taken from crime scene and compared with that of suspect.
- Paternity test - see if a man is the fathers of a child
What is Mitosis?
When a cell reproduces itself by splitting to form two identical offspring
Process of Mitosis
1, cell gets a signal to divide and duplicates its DNA so theres one copy for each new cell.
- Chromosomes line up in the centre of the cell and are then pulled apart so two arms of each chromosome goes to opposite sides
- Membranes form around each sets of chromosomes and the nuclei of new cells are formed
- Cytoplasm divides and forms around nuclei
When is mitosis used?
when plants and animals want to grow or replace cells that have been damaged as identical cells can be made
What is Meiosis?
Produces cells which have half the normal number of chromosomes
Can there be asexual reproduction with Mitosis
YES
strawberry plants form new plants in this way
The offspring will have the same genes as the parent - no variation
When is Meiosis used?
During sexual reproduction
When gametes mix, instead of giving full sets of chromosomes they only give half so 23 chromosomes each. SO when they combine they make 46 chromosomes which is what is needed in the human body. Making a mixture of the two sets of chromosomes so children inherit genes from both parents.
Process of Meiosis
- The DNA duplicates - so one arm of each chromosome is an exact copy
- First division - the chromosome pairs line up in the centre of the two cells
- The pairs are then fully pulled apart so each new cell has only one set of each chromosome (some of the moms and some of the dads)
- Second division - chromosomes line up again in the centre of the cell and the arms of the chromosomes are pulled apart
- You then get 4 gametes each with a single set of chromosomes.
What is a stem cell?
A cell that can develop into different types of cells depending on what instructions they are given. They have the potential to turn into any kind of cell.
What can we use stem cells for?
- Medicine - cure diseases
- Extract them and grow them
- Replace faulty cells in sick people
- control cell differentiation
Why are some people against stem cell research
- embryos are human life
- Scientists should focus on finding and developing other sources of stem cell so people can be helped without having to use embryos
- many countries already ban it
Which chromosomes decide your gender?
Which is which?
XX - Women
XY - male
What are good ways to show the possible combination of gametes?
Genetic diagrams
X X
XX XX X
XY XY Y
Who was Mendal and what did he do?
Gregor Mendal was a monk
He noticed that the characteristics in plants were passed on from one generation to the next
His research became the foundations of modern genetics
What conclusions did Mendal make?
- characteristics in plants are determined by hereditary units
- hereditary units passed on from both parents one unit from each parent
- hereditary units can be dominant or recessive - if both dominant and recessive the dominant unit will be expressed
(now know hereditary units are genes)
What is an allele ?
different versions of the same gene
What is homozygous?
If an organism has two alleles that are the same
What is heterozygous?
If two alleles in a particular gene are different