Cell Biology and Genetics Flashcards
Describe properties of animal cells including the organelles and structural variation
Animal cells consist of: mitochondrion, ribosomes, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, and lysosomes, plasma membrane, nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, vacuole, centrosome, nucleolus.
Describe the major processes that occur in animal cells
Transcription (DNA is copied into mRNA) ——-> Translation (mRNA into protein)
Describe the structure and function of DNA
DNA’s structure is like that of a twisted ladder. The “handles” of the ladder like shape consist of sugar and phosphate molecules, while base pairs (thymine A-T and guanine G-C) bridge the gap between the handles. Commonly called a double helix.
Define Allele, homozygous, heterozygous
Allele: Alternate forms of a gene that occur at the same locus of a chromosome.
Homozygous: Having the same expression of a gene homologous chromosomes.
Heterozygous: Having different expression of a gene on homologous chromosomes
Describe the effects of complete dominance on the expression of recessive allele.
Complete dominance masks the effect of the allele that is recessive
Explain the ABO blood groups with regard to genotypes and phenotypes in various crosses
The combination of the three alleles (A, B, O) determines genotype, while also determining the phenotype.
Distinguish between autosomes and sex chromosomes
Sex chromosomes are chromosomes that are represented differently in females and males, these determine the sex of an individual. While on the other hand, autosomes are chromosomes that are alike in both the male and female.
Distinguish between haploid and diploid, and between somatic cells and gametes.
Haploid: cells contain only one set of Chromosomes (n).
Diploid: contains two sets of chromosomes (2n).
Haploid —–> cells are formed by the process of meiosis.
Diploid —–> cells undergo mitosis.
Somatic cells ——> contain 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).
Gametes cells ——-> contain 23 chromosomes.
Describe the processes of transcription and translation and identify the role of DNA, mRNA, tRNA in the process
Transcription: is the process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA).
Translation: is the process that takes the information passed from DNA as messenger RNA and turns it into a series of amino acids bound together with peptide bonds. Also, tRNA brings different amino acids coded for the mRNA into alignment so that a polypeptide can be made.
Point mutations
A change in the structure of a gene that usually arises from the addition, deletion, or substitution of one or more nucleotides.
