B6- Inheritance, Variation and Evolution Flashcards
What are chromosones
Really long molecules of DNA
What does DNA stand for
DeoxyriboNucleic acid
What is DNA
It’s a chemical that all of the genetic material is made up form
What determines your inherited characteristics
DNA
Is DNA a polymer
Yes
What is the shape of DNA called
Double helix structure
What is gene a code for
Specific protein
What is a gene
A small section of DNA found on a chromosome
What does each gene code for
A particular sequence of amino acids which put together to make a specific protein
How many amino acids are there
20
Does every organism have a genome
Yes
Why is understanding the human genome is a really important tool for science and medicine
- It allows scientists to identify genes in the genome that are linked to different typed of disease
- Knowing which genes are linked to inherited diseases could help us to understand them better and could help us to develop effective treatments for them
3 Scientists can look at genomes to trace the migration of certain populations of people around the worlds. All modern humans are descended from a common ancestor who lived in Africa. The human genome is mostly identical in all individuals, but as different populations of people migrated away from Africa, they gradually developed tiny difference in their genomes. By investigating these differences, scientists can work out when new populations split off in a different direction and what route they took.
DNA molecules contain a _ code that determines which proteins are built
Genetic
What is DNA made up of
Nucleotides
What are DNA strands
Polymers made up of loads of repeating units called nucleotides
What does each nucleotide consist of
One sugar molecule, one phosphate molecule and one ‘base’
What does each base (DNA) link to
A base on the opposite strand in the helix
What is each amino acid coded for
By a sequence of three bases in the gene
What does mRNA do
It carries the code to the Ribosomes
Proteins are made in the cell _ on tiny structures called _
Cytoplasm
Ribosmes
Define enzyme
Act as a biological catalysts to speed up chemical reactions in the body
Define hormones
Used to carry messages around the body
What are structural proteins
Are physically strong E.g. collagen is a structural protein that strengths connective tissues (like ligaments and cartilage)
What is a mutation
When the sequence of DNA bases can be changed