Inheritance, Variation and Evolution Flashcards
What is sexual reproduction?
Production of gametes by meiosis.
How is a zygote formed?
When a gamete from each parent fuses together.
What is a gamete?
Sex cells
Examples of gametes (3)
Sperm cells
Egg cells
Pollen
What is a haploid?
A cell with half the chromosomes.
What is meiosis?
Cell division that forms gametes.
Involves two divisions.
What must occur before meiosis?
Interphase - when copies of genetic information are made.
What happens during meiosis?
Chromosome pairs line up in the centre of the cell.
The pairs are separated and moved to opposite poles of the cell.
The chromosome number is halved.
Why are offspring from meiosis genetically different?
When the chromosome pairs are meant to be separated and moved to opposite poles of the cell it is random.
What is produced from meosis?
4 unique haploid gametes.
Why is meiosis important for sexual reproduction?
Increases genetic variation.
Ensures that the zygote formed at fertilisation is a diploid.
What is a diploid?
A cell containing two complete sets of chromosomes.
Process of fertilisation?
Gametes join together.
Normal number of chromosomes restored.
New cell divides by mitosis.
As the embryo develops, the cells differentiate.
Malaria reproduction?
Sexual reproduction for mosquito.
Asexual reproduction for the human host.
What is DNA?
Genetic material of the cell found in the nucleus.
What is a genome?
The entire genetic material of an organism.
Benefits of understanding the human genome?
Understanding and treating inherited disorders.
Tracing human migration patterns from the past.
Searching for genes that link to different types of diseases.
What is a chromosome?
A long, coiled molecule of DNA that carries genetic information in the form of genes.
What is a gene?
A small section of DNA that codes for a specific sequence of amino acids.
What are alleles?
Different versions of the same gene.
What is a dominant allele?
A version of a gene where only one copy of the gene is required for it to be expressed.
What is a recessive allele?
A version of gene where two copies are needed for it to be expressed.
Homozygous definition?
Two copies of the same allele.
Heterozygous definition?
Two different versions of the same gene.
What is a genotype?
The genes present for a trait.
What is a phenotype?
The visible characteristic.
What is an inherited disorder?
A disorder caused by the inheritance of certain alleles.
2 examples of inherited disorders/
Polydactyly - caused by a dominant allele it is having extra toes or fingers.
Cystic Fibrosis - caused by a recessive allele, a disorder of the cell membranes.
How are embryos screened for genetic disorders?
During IVF one cell is removed from an 8 cell embryo and tested for disease causing alleles.
Ethical issues for embryo screening?
Could lead to a belief in society that disabilities are unwanted and inferior.
Destruction of embryos can be seen as murder.
Designer babies - wishing for a perfect baby.
What is gene therapy?
Inserting a normal allele into the cells of a person with an inherited disorder to replace the faulty allele.
Ethical issues about gene therapy?
People think that they’re trying to play God.
The introduced cells can enter the sex genes and be passed on to future generations.
What are sex chromosomes?
A pair of chromosomes that determine sex.