DNA and the Genome - Genomic Sequencing

Question 1

bioinformatics

Answer 1

application of statistics and computer science to analyse and compare genetic sequence data

Question 2

conserved

genomic sequencing

Answer 2

DNA sequences found to be very similar in the genomes of two organsms being compared

Question 3

divergence

Answer 3

seperation of two groups in a phylogeny when their genomes aquire mutations and become different from one another

Question 4

domain

Answer 4

• large group of living oganisms
• there are three domains: bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes

Question 5

genomics

Answer 5

the study of genomes

applying sequncing and computational procedures to analyse genomes

Question 6

model organism

genomics

Answer 6

species important for research as it possesses genes equivilant to human genes responsible for inherited disorders

e.coli, mus musculus (mouse), drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly)

Question 7

molecular clock

Answer 7

use of a molecule that has accumulated mutations over time to construct an evolutionary timescale for groups possessing the molecule

assumes a constant rate of mutation

Question 8

pharmacogenetics

Answer 8

• study of genomes related to personalised medicine
• customising medical treatment to suit an individuals exact metabolic requirements
• advantages: increase drug efficiency, reduces side effects
• disadvantages: data may get into wrong hands e.g. life insurance companies (won’t provide due to potential chronic disease) - genetic discrimination

Question 9

phylogenetic tree

Answer 9

branching diagrm showing the evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms based on sequence data and fossil evidence

Question 10

phylogenetics

Answer 10

study of evolutionary relatedness among different groups of organisms

Question 11

genomic sequencing

Answer 11

determining the order of nucleotide bases in a section of DNA

individual genes or the entire genome

Question 12

single nucleotide polymorphism

SNP

Answer 12

• a variation in DNA sequence that affects a single base pair
• these arise due to substitution mutations

Question 13

events in evolution of life

Answer 13

• life on earth
• cells (similar to prokaryotes)
• last universal ancestor
• first organisms capable of photosynthesis
• eukaryotic cells
• multicellular organisms
• animals (ingest other organisms for food)
• vertebrates
• land plants

4 bya -> 450 mya