DNA and sex determination.

Question 1

what word is used to describe a small section of a DNA molecule that controls the synthesis of a protein?

Answer 1

gene.

Question 2

in a cell where are proteins synthesised?

Answer 2

ribosomes.

Question 3

describe how the protein for blue eye colour is synthesised?

Answer 3

amino acid makes up protein.
protein is a particular combination sequence of amino acids.
base forms codes.

Question 4

mistakes sometimes happen when DNA molecules are copied during cell division. suppose that one of the W bases was substituted by an x base.
what would happen to the structure of the protein synthesised by this part of the DNA molecule?

Answer 4

wrong shape.

Question 5

what might happen due to a substituted base from W to X?

Answer 5

different eye colour.

Question 6

what is a transcription?

Answer 6

DNA code is read.

Question 7

what is a translation?

Answer 7

code is used to build up protein molecules.

Question 8

mutations: what does each gene have which is different and what does it lead to and then what does that lead to?

Answer 8

different base pair.
different template.
different order of carrier molecules delivering amino acids.
in short: different protein sequence and different function of protein.

Question 9

mutations: what can it cause to change in DNA and how can this happen?

Answer 9

base pair sequences.
accident during replication of DNA or damage from environment such as UV light.

Question 10

mutations: what is it usually caused by?

Answer 10

happens due to single base being deleted or duplicated.

Question 11

mutations: what effect can this have on you?

Answer 11

most of the time it has no effect on your health as single change may not change the shape of proteins.
if in a key area: enzyme active site may be altered or structural protein may loose its strength.

Question 12

mutation: what is one way of protection?

Answer 12

large amount of non-coding DNA in our genome. this DNA doesn’t code for a specific protein, mutations in those areas have no affect.

Question 13

mutations: what have scientists recently discovered about non-coding DNA and what could happen if a mutation were to occur in these areas?

Answer 13

has a role when a gene is turned on (gene expression.)
might change how easily a gene is expressed and this could have serious health consequences.