Genetics Flashcards
what is DNA composed of?
Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid
Two strands of DNA pair up in an anti-parallel fashion
Made up of nucleic acid bases held on a 2-deoxyribose sugar backbone
The bases are Adenine, Thymine, Guanine and Cytosine
DNA strands associate with proteins and are wound up into chromosomes
how is DNA replicated?
Replicated in 5’-3’ direction by DNA polymerase
what is RNA composed of?
single stranded
Made up of nucleic acid bases held on a ribose sugar backbone
Uracil replaces Thymine
stages of the cell cycle
G1 Phase – cells increase in size and the cell contents are duplicated
S Phase – DNA replication occurs
G2 Phase – cell gets prepared to divide
M Phase: MITOSIS
One diploid parent cell 🡪 results in 2 identical diploid daughter cells
what is meosis?
The process by which gametes (sex cells) are produced
One diploid parent cell 🡪 results in 4 haploid daughter cells
Crossing over of genes occurs
Forms a gamete
what is the structure of a chromosome?
telomere
short arm (p)
centromere
long arm (q)
telomere
how can Chromosomes can be recognised?
Banding pattern
Length
The position of the centromere
how can chromosomes can be analysed?
FISH (specific)
Array CGH (general)
PCR
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
what is FISH?
Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation
Can pick up extra or missing material (e.g. trisomy 21)
what is Array CGH?
The first line chromosome test
Can’t detect balanced arrangement
Analyses the whole genome
The patient’s DNA is compared to a reference DNA sample
what is PCR?
Makes lots of copies of one small part of the genome
These can then be sequenced
what is NGS?
Can sequence the whole genome or all known exons
similar to PCR
what is a balanced gene abnormality?
all genes are there, just in different places
what is an unbalanced gene abnormality
has missing or additional material
what is Aneuploidy?
whole extra or missing chromosome
e.g. Downs syndrome (trisomy 21), Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18)