Final study guide Flashcards
Natural selection
Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that helped them succeed
Charles Darwin
Visited the Galápagos Islands and collected/studied the species there. He came up with the Theory of Natural Selection: animals with a higher fitness level (ability to survive and reproduce) would pass on the preferred genes for their environment
Galápagos Islands observation
Darwin noticed that each finch species had a different type of beak, depending on the food available on its island. The finches that ate large nuts had strong beaks for breaking the nuts open.
Biogeography
the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.
What was Darwin’s opinion on the fossil record
The fossil record has gaps, mostly because the conditions required to create fossils have been rare ever since life began on Earth
Restriction enzymes
Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides
DNA typing
Definition. DNA typing is a laboratory procedure that detects normal variations in a sample of DNA to discover relationships
What are the applications for DNA sequencing?
Detection of genetic disorders e.g. Sickle Cell Anaemia - gene mutation (one base substituted) or Cystic Fibrosis (one codon deleted)
Human genome project
discover the complete set of human genes and make them accessible for further biological study, and determine the complete sequence of DNA bases in the human genome
Polymerase Chain Reaction
A technique flor copying DNA sequences by heating it up, incubating with special primers, DNA polymerase molecules, and nucleotides.
DNA Ligase
A linking enzyme essential for DNA replication; catalyzes the covalent bonding of the 3’ end of a new DNA fragment to the 5’ end of a growing chain.
Genetic engineering
Process of making changes in the DNA code of living organisms like for corn to produce more of it
gene therapy
The insertion of working copies of a gene into the cells of a person with a genetic disorder in an attempt to correct the disorder as well as to treat an eye disorder called Leber congenital amaurosis and a muscle disorder called spinal muscular atrophy
What are some of the benefits of pharmacogenomics
- Understanding why pt’s with the same disease respond differently to a certain medication
- Minimize Adverse drug reactions
- Help maximize drug efficacy
Transformation
process in which one strain of bacteria is changed by a gene or genes from another strain of bacteria
Transgenic organisms
organisms containing DNA sequences that have been created in vitro and introduced into the genome
Homologous structures
similar physical features in organisms that share a common ancestor, but the features serve completely different functions
Analogous structures
features of different species that are similar in function but not in structure and which do not come from a common ancestor
Half life
the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The
Stabilizing selection
a type of natural selection in which genetic diversity decreases as the population stabilizes on a particular trait value (favors the middle)
Directional selection
individuals with traits on one side of their population survive better or reproduce more than those on the other (favors one side more than the other)
Disruptive selection
form of natural selection occurring in a population where extreme traits are favored over intermediate traits (Favors both ends)
Genetic drift
the change in frequency of an existing gene variant in the population due to random chance. Genetic drift may cause gene variants to disappear completely and thereby reduce genetic variation (small community)
Domain
Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya
Kingdom
plant, fungi, protist and monera
Phylum
taxonomic ranking that comes third in the hierarchy of classification
Class
a taxonomic rank above the order and below the phylum
Order
a taxonomic rank above the Genus and below the class
Genus
a taxonomic rank above species and below order
Species
The lowest taxonomic level
Linnaeus’ system of classification
taxonomy: a classification system for the natural world to standardize the naming of species and order them according to their characteristics and relationships with one another.
Cladograms
a branching tree diagram that shows ancestral relationships among organisms
Derived traits
Traits that just appeared (by mutation) in the most recent generation
What happens when you have Diabetes?
your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should
Pancreas
Produces endocrine (production of hormones that regulate blood sugar levels and glandular secretion) and exocrine (the function of the digestive gland)
Capillaries function
exchange of materials between the blood and tissue cells
Antibodies
proteins that protect you when an unwanted substance enters your body
What are the components of the circulatory system?
Heart, blood, blood vessels (arteries, veins capillaries)
Inflammatory response
occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, toxins, or, heat
Passive immunity
when a person is given antibodies to a disease rather than producing them through his or her own immune system
Active immunity
When a person produces antibodies when he/she gets a disease naturally
Autoimmune disease
happens when the body’s natural defense system can’t tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells, causing the body to mistakenly attack normal cells.
Nervous system
Commands your bodies’s functions with two parts: the central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system is made up of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body
Neurons
the cells responsible for receiving sensory input from outside our body, sending it to our brain, and for sending commands about this information from the brain to our muscles
Motor neurons
cells in the brain and spinal cord that allow us to move, speak, swallow, and breathe by sending commands from the brain to the muscles that carry out these functions
Sensory neurons
converting external stimuli from the organism’s environment into internal electrical impulses from the brain
Menstruation
Cycle where a woman produces an egg cell
Chemical digestion
the process where complex molecules like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are broken down into smaller pieces that your body can use
Stimulants
a substance that raises levels of physiological or nervous activity in the bod
Depressant
A type of drug that slows down brain activity, which causes the muscles to relax and calms and soothes a person
Ecology
study of the relationships between living organisms, and their physical environment (abiotic and biotic factors)
Producers
Produce energy by taking in solar energy, carbon dioxide, and water then converting it into glucose (energy) through photosynthesis
Consumers
Obtain energy by consuming producers
Abiotic factors
Parts of an ecosystem that never have lived
Biotic factors
Parts of an ecosystem that have lived or are living
Predators
Eat consumers for energy (usually at the top of the food chain)
Biomes
an area classified according to the species that live in that location
Temperate forest
Forest with evergreen trees and four seasons
Tundra
Flat cold dry biome
Birth rate vs death rate
Both a steady birth and death rate are needed for biodiversity or a stable ecosystem because when the death rate is higher, the population will decrease, but if the birth rate is higher overpopulation will occur.
Anus
Where digested food comes out
Niche
Organisms role in a population
Small intestine function
receives bile and pancreatic juice through the pancreatic duct to aid in digestion
Large intestine function
remaining waste material is stored in the rectum as feces before being removed by defecatio
Gallbladder function
bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine
Esophagus function
After you swallow, peristalsis pushes the food down your esophagus into your stomach
Liver
performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth
Rectum
Holds stool until it goes out the anus
DNA sequencing
the general laboratory technique for determining the exact sequence of nucleotides, or bases, in a DNA molecule
Artificial selection
Choosing organisms to breed for a specific trait to get a better trait
Biogeography studies
The environment
Temporal isolation
occurs when two populations differ in their periods of activity or reproductive cycles
Genus and Species
Binomial nomenclature
