Inheritance, Variation And Evolution Flashcards
What is mitosis
Formation of 2 genetically identical daughter cells from one cell
What is meiosis?
Formation of 4 non- identical daughter cells from one cell
What is mitosis used for?
Growth and repair
What is meiosis used for?
Sexual reproduction (gametes)
What type of cells are produced during mitosis?
Diploids - full set, 46 chromosomes in humans
What type of cells are produced during meiosis?
Haploid- half set, 23 chromosomes in gametes
How are gametes formed?
Through meiosis when the number of chromosomes in cell halves
What are the gametes in humans?
Sperm cells - men
Egg cells - women
What are the gametes in plants ?
Pollen - male
Eggs - female
How many divisions occur in meiosis?
2
What happens during fertilisation?
Each gamete (23 chromosomes) fuse together, producing full set of chromosomes
Describe what happens during meiosis
-DNA is copied so it has double amount of genetic information, chromosomes are replicated, cell grows (46 -> 92)
- chromosomes line up along middles of cells
- chromosomes are pulled apart
- cell divide into 2 (genetically identical daughter cells), each with gang the amount of chromosomes (46)
- cell divides again producing 4 genetically different gametes, each with 23 chromosomes
What happens during mitosis?
-Cells grows so number of organelles increases, DNA is copied so chromosomes are replicated
-chromosomes line up
- cells begins to split
- each set of chromosomes are pulled to polar ends of cell
- nucleus divides
- the cell divides into 2 producing 2 genetically identical daughter cells
What are the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction
Advantages
Produces variation in offspring- survival advantage, prevents extinction, better protected from diseases
Allows us to use selective breeding
Disadvantages
Mate is required- slower
2 parents needed
Uses more energy
What is DNA?
A polymer with a double helix structure
Made up of 4 different repeating subunits called nucleotides
What does DNA stand for ?
Deoxyribonucleic acid
What does DNA hold?
The instructions (genetic code) that makes proteins
What are the 3 parts that make up a nucleotide?
Phosphate
Deoxyribose sugar
Base
What is complimentary base pairing?
A bases only connect to T bases
C bases only connect to G bases
What determines a genetic code?
Order of bases on a DNA strand
What do 3 bases code for?
An amino acid
What is the sequence of bases used for?
To synthesise (build) chains of amino acids
What does ha amino acid chain make ?
A protein
But proteins must be correct shape to carry out their function
The different order of amino acids determine what type of protein it is
How may types of amino acids are there?
20
What is mRNA
A messenger molecule (different type of nucleotide) which acts as a template for DNA
It carries the same code as DNA but is small enough to leave the nucleus
What does mRNA do?
Carries instructions from a nucleus
What is protein synthesis ?
The process of producing a protein from DNA
Describe process of protein synthesis
- DNA hold the genetic code for making a protein, but can’t move out of nucleus as it’s too big
- 2 strands pull apart (unzips) and mRNA nucleotides match to their complimentary base on the strand
- the mRNA nucleotides themselves are joined together, creating a new stand called the mRNA strand, this is a template of the original DNA
- the mRNA moves out of nucleus to the cytoplasm onto ribosomes
- at ribosomes, the bases in mRNA are read in 3s to code for an amino acid
- the corresponding amino acids are brought to ribosomes by carrrier molecules (tRNA)
- the amino acids connect together to form a protein
- proteins then detaches and folds into its specific shape
What are the 3 types of proteins?
Enzymes (biological catalysts)
Hormones (chemical messengers that send signals around body)
Structural proteins(strong proteins in order to form structures eg collagen)
What is a mutation?
A change to a base
What are the 3 things a mutation can cause ?
- a base is inserted into code- may change all the amino acids coded for after this mutation (insertion)
- a base is deleted from code- made change all amino acids coded for after this mutation (deletion)
- a base is substituted- only changes 1 amino acid in sequence or may not even change the amino acid
Explain how a mutation may affect an enzyme
Change in amino acids, changes the way the protein folds
Active site changes shape so is no longer complimentary to substrate
The enzyme is denatured
How will a mutation affect structural proteins
May cause it to lose it’s shape, becomes weaker
Why does variation between 2 organisms occur?
Because of the coding DNA that determines the proteins and their activity
The non coding DNA that determines which genes are expressed
Define gamete
An organism’s reproduction cells
Define chromosome
Long strand of DNA containing many genes
Found in nucleus
Define gene
Section of DNA that codes for a particular characteristic
Define allele
Version of a gene
Define dominant allele
Only 1 allele is needed for it to be expressed
Define dominant allele
Only 1 allele is needed for it to be expressed