Exam 1 Concept Questions

Question 1

What is a Genome?

Answer 1

the haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or organism

Question 2

What is Transmission Genetics?

Answer 2

The study of mechanisms involved in the passage of genes from one generation to the next

Question 3

What is Molecular Genetics?

Answer 3

Addresses how differences in the structures or expression of DNA molecules manifests as variation among organisms

Question 4

What is Population Genetics?

Answer 4

Deals with genetic differences within and between populations

Question 5

What is the Difference Between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes?

Answer 5

Prokaryotes are organisms made up of cells that lack a cell nucleus or any membrane. Eukaryotes are organisms that are made of cells with a membrane and a nucleus

Question 6

What is an Allele?

Answer 6

one of two or more alternate forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome

Question 7

What is the Difference Between DNA and RNA?

Answer 7

DNA is the natural genetic code that is double stranded. RNA is single-stranded replicated DNA that has the base Uracil and can leave the nucleus

Question 8

What is a Chromosome?

Answer 8

a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and proteins found in the nucleus holding the genetic information.

Question 9

What Did the Model Developed by Watson and Crick Show?

Answer 9

that each strand of DNA was a template for the other

Question 10

In What Direction do We Read DNA?

Answer 10

3’-5’

5’-3’

Question 11

Explain the Degenerate Nature of Amino Acid Codons

Answer 11

The genetic code is redundant because a single amino acid may be coded for by more than one protein

Question 12

Why is the ability for DNA to mutate both good and bad?

Answer 12

Mutations can be bad by altering the genome in a way that could negatively impact the organism, If a mutation increases the survival of the organism, it is positive.

Question 13

What is the Difference Between Somatic and Germ-Line Mutations?

Answer 13

Somatic mutations occur in one body cell and cannot be inherited. Germ-Line mutations occur in games and can be passed on to offspring.

Question 14

What is the Difference Between Transition vs Transversion Mutations?

Answer 14

Transition mutations move from one pyrimidine to another pyrimidine (or purine to purine) and Transversion mutations move from one pyrimidine to one purine (or vice versa)

Question 15

How do Insertions or Deletions Produce Frameshift Mutations?

Answer 15

Insertions or Deletions no longer allow there to be an even number of 3 nucleotides per codon, somewhere there will be nucleotides that do not have enough to code for a codon

Question 16

What are Expanding Nucleotide Repeats?

Answer 16

mutations that occur when repeats in DNA expand beyond a threshold length

Question 17

What is the Difference Between Spontaneous and Induced Mutations?

Answer 17

Spontaneous mutations occur at random within the DNA and are less common while induced mutations occur as a result of exposure to things like UV that cause mutations and are more common.

Question 18

How Does a Nucleotide Base Tautomer Differ From the Normal Base?

Answer 18

Nucleotide Base Tautomers are nucleotides in a different form (ex. Enol instead of Keto) and they cause mismatched base pairing)

Question 19

What is an Incorporated Error?

Answer 19

An error that is not caught in a system and is incorporated into the genetic code

Question 20

What is a Replicated Error?

Answer 20

An error that was not caught during replicated and is replicated into the new strand of DNA

Question 21

Name Two Base Analogs

Answer 21

1. 5-Bromouracil that forms hydrogen bonds with adenine in the template strand
2. 2-Aminopurine That base pairs with Uracil and replaces A-U bonds

Question 22

How Does EMS Alter a Nucleotide?

Answer 22

EMS damages DNA by causing point mutations, typically Guanine alkylation

Question 23

How does Acridine Orange Create Mutations?

Answer 23

Causes frameshift mutations so the reading frame is altered

Question 24

How Does the Ames Test Identify Possible Mutagens?

Answer 24

If a cell can grow on a minimal medium plate, it has been mutated to produce His that was not on the plate and can be assumed that it is mutagenic and most likely carcinogenic

Question 25

Why is it essential that Mutations Occur?

Answer 25

Mutations are what is responsible for evolution. If no mutations occurred, organisms would no longer evolve.

Question 26

In Mismatch Repair, How does the Repair Enzyme Distinguish Between the Original Parental Strand and the Mutated Daughter Strand?

Answer 26

Mismatch repair is strand-specific, so if a mutation occurs, it most likely will occur in the daughter cell, so the repair enzyme attaches only to the daughter cell and cannot alter the parent strand

Question 27

How Does DNA and the Amino Acid Sequence Change for…

1. Missense Mutation
2. Nonsense Mutation
3. Silent Mutation
4. Frameshift Mutation

Answer 27

1. Amino Acids are confused and a new amino acid is signalled for
2. A stop signal is signaled too early
3. The amino acid sequence does not change
4. There is not the correct amount of nucleotides for all codons, so amino acids will be different in amount, and usually in identity

Question 28

What is a Neutral Mutation?

Answer 28

Mutations that are either beneficial or non-harmful to the organism

Question 29

What is a True-Breeding Strain?

Answer 29

A strain that always passes down specific phenotypic traits to its offspring “purebred”

Question 30

When Two Pure Breeding Individuals are Mated, We get Offspring With a Combination of Their Genes. What Do We Call the Offspring?

Answer 30

Heterozygous

Question 31

What is a Reciprocal Cross?

Answer 31

A cross where the phenotypes of the parents are reversed and then crossed again

Question 32

A Mutation in the Promoter Region will Cause What?

Answer 32

A reduced amount of mRNA and reduced amount of protein