Chapter 2 Flashcards
Diploid
When a cell has two sets of chromosomes.
Haploid
When a cell only has one set of chromosomes.
Genes
A molecular unit of heredity of DNA and RNA that codes for a polypeptide, or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism.
Allele
One of a number of alternative forms of the same gene or same genetic locus. It is the alternative form of a gene for a character producing different effects.
Somatic
Any biological cell forming the body of an organism; that is, in a multicellular organism, any cell other than a genome, germ cell, gemeotype, or undifferentiated stem cell.
Germ Line
The line (sequence) of germ cells that have genetic material that may be passed to a child.
Reference Sequence
A digital nucleic acid sequence database, assembled as a representative example of a species’ set of genes.
Transcription
The first step of gene expression, in which a particular segment of DNA is copied into RNA by the enzyme RNA polymerase.
Translation
The process in which cellular ribosomes create proteins as a part of gene expression.
Replication
The processor duplicating or producing an exact copy of a polynucleotide strand, such as DNA.
Epigenetics
The study of heritable changes in the gene activity that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence; it can also be used to describe the study of stable, long-term alterations in the transcriptional potential of a cell that are not necessarily heritable.
Nuclear DNA
DNA that is organize into paired chromosomes within the nucleus of the cell. It is diploid, double-stranded, and then paired with the homogenous (nDNA).
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
A polymerase made of monomers and nucleotides. Composed of sugar, phosphate backbone, and bases.
Bases
There are 4: Adenine (A) that pairs with Guanine (G), and Cytosine (C) that pairs with Thymine (T) (single-ringed pyrimidines). In RNA, T is replaces with U (Uracil).
Mitosis
The process by which a cell duplicates unto 2 genetically alike daughter cells. Chromosomes in the cell nucleus are separated into 2 identical sets of chromosomes, each in its own nucleus.
Meiosis
A special type of cell division, necessary for sexual reproduction in eukaryotes such as animals, plants, and fungi.
Gamete
A cell that fuses with another cell during fertilization in organisms that reproduce sexually.
Gametogenesis
A biological process by which diploid or haploid precursor cells undergo cell division and differentiation to form mature haploid gametes (oogenesis in females, spermogenesis in males).
Recombination
Process by which 2 DNA molecules exchange genetic information, resulting in the production of a new combination of alleles.
Centimorgan
A unit for measuring genetic linkage. It is the distance between chromosome positions for which the expected average number of intervening chromosomal crossovers in a single generation is 0.01.
Mitochondrial DNA
DNA located in the organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate.
