Genetics Flashcards
What is it called when organisms reproduce without a sex cell?
Asexual reproduction
What does asexual reproduction produce?
Clones - offspring that are genetically identical to the parent
In animals asexual reproduction is very rare but are much more common In what?
Invertebrates (such as insects)
During the summer female aphids produce offspring from cells formed by what? (Asexual)
Mitosis
For some plants in asexual reproduction what are runners?
Special stems that grow out from the adult plant
How do some plants reproduce new plants?
From bits of leaves or roots, this helps them spread quickly in areas near the parent plant
In plants what do the runners do?
They supply water and nutrients to the daughter plant until it’s leaves and roots are well developed
Using a runner in plants, where does the daughter plant grow?
Where a node (joint) in a runner touches the ground. New plants grow leaves then roots
Sexual reproduction combines characteristics from both parents, and so produces offspring that are different from each other. How is this an advantage?
If the offspring move to an area with different environmental conditions, also if the environment changes, for example if the temperature changes or a new pest or disease comes to the area
What does variation mean?
That there is a greater chance that some offspring will be better suited to new conditions and so will be more likely to survive and reproduce
How is asexual reproduction faster than sexual reproduction and how is this an advantage?
There is no need to find a mate and this is an advantage when they are lots of resources such as food
Aphids feed off sap in the summer, plant growth is most rapid in the summer, so what does asexual reproduction help help aphids to do?
Make the most of all the food in the summer
Humans start life as a single fertilised egg called a zygote, when is this formed and what happens next?
When two gametes fuse during fertilisation, the zygote then forms a ball of cells using a type of cell division called mitosis
What is mitosis?
DNA cell replication. There are 6 stages they are interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis
Almost all human cells carry exactly the same instructions. What do these instructions control?
Each individual cell, shape, and shape and coordinate our bodies
How big is the nuclear in a zygote?
0.006mm in diameter
What is a genome?
All of the DNA in an organism, each body cell contains a copy of this genome
Why are the instructions for an organism found?
As code in a molecule called DNA
Where is the DNA of an organism?
In its genome, and most cells contain a complete copy of an organisms genome
Where is the human genome found?
On 46 very long molecules of DNA, and each molecule is inside a chromosome. Along the length of a DNA molecule are sections that each contain a code for making a protein. These DNA sections are genes. Proteins are polymers, made by linking different amino acids together in a chain. The order of amino acids is controlled by a gene. Humans have about 20 000 genes
There are 23 different chromosomes in humans and most nuclei contain two of each type. So a body cell contains two sets of 23 chromosomes, making 46 in all. A cell like this is called diploid, the shorthand for diploid is 2n. What happens if 2 diploid cells fuse together?
If two diploid cells joined in fertilisation, the zygote would have 4 sets of chromosomes, so gametes would only need one set of chromosomes, they have to be haploid. The shorthand for haploid is 1n
What is the process meiosis used to do?
Produce gametes
What cells do mitosis produce?
Diploid cells
Explain the process of meiosis
Each chromosome replicates - makes a copy of itself. The two copies remain attached, making each chromosome look like an X. The two sets of chromosomes ‘pair up’ forming 23 pairs, and the pairs them separate into two new cells. Next, the two copies of a chromosome in each X-shape split into two more cells. Meiosis therefore produces four haploid daughter cells, which is how gametes are produced
Why are gametes all different?
Because they are genetically different chromosomes, this is why brothers and sisters often look similar but not identical
Each chromosome in a pair contains different versions of the same what?
Gene
How many sets of chromosomes does the gamete making cell have?
Two sets they are diploid
Go to page 53
And look at the diagram
What do The nuclei of your cells contain?
Very long molecules of DNA. Each molecule is tightly coiled and packaged up with proteins to form chromosomes
What shape is DNA?
A double helix
What does a molecule of contain?
Two strands which form a helix, the two stands are joined together by pairs of substances called bases, to form a double helix w
What are the four bases in DNA?
Adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine (A, T, C and G)
What are the complementary base pairs? (Matching bases)
A and T
C and G
Go to page 54
And look at the diagram
What is each base attached to?
A sugar, and each sugar is attached to a phosphate group, this grouping is called a nucleotide. The sugars and phosphate groups form the backbone of the DNA strands. DNA is therefore made of many similar units joined In a chain, and so it is a polymer
What is a hydrogen bond?
Parts of DNA bases have very slight electrical charges. A slightly negatively charged part of one base attracts a slightly positively charged part of another base. This forms a weak force of attraction called a hydrogen bond
Adenine and thymine form two hydrogen bonds, cytosine and guanine form three, what does this help explain?
Why C Paris with G and A pairs with T
The DNA code?
The order of bases in a gene contains the coded instructions for a protein. However, we all have slight different orders of bases in our DNA. In fact, everyone except identical twins has different DNA. This allows scientists to match DNA from cells to specific people. And, since DNA has passed down through families, analysing DNA allows scientists to find out how people are related
Go to page 55 and 56
And looks at the experiment on DNA extraction
how do most animals and plants reproduce?
By sexual reproduction (involving fertilisation of a female sex cell by a male sex cell)