Inheritance Variation Evolution Flashcards
What are Chromosomes?
Really long molecules of DNA
Describe the structure of DNA (2)
DNA is a polymer , it’s made up of two strands coiled together in the shape of a double helix
What is DNA (1)
It’s the chemical that all genetic material in a cell is made up from
Where is DNA found ? (1)
DNA is found in the nucleus of animal and plant cells in really long structure called chromosomes
How many Chromosomes do humans have
23 pairs
What is a Gene? (1)
small section of DNA found on a chromosome
What is the role of a gene ?(1)
Each gene codes for a particular sequence of amino acids which are put together to make a specific protein
What do genes tell cells ?
Genes simply tells cells to in what order to put amino acids together
What is a Genome ?
Genome is the entire genetic material of an organism
What does a nucleotide consist of ?
One sugar molecule, one phosphate molecule and one base
Name the four different bases and what they link to
Thymine links to Adenine
Cytosine links to Guanine
What decides the order of amino acids in a protein
The order of bases in a gene
What are enzymes ?
Act as a biological catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in the body
What do hormones do ?
They are used to carry messages around the body
What are mutations ?
Changes in the DNA base sequence
How is the chance of a mutation increased ?
By exposure to certain substances or some types of radiation
What happens to the DNA during mutation
Mutations change the sequence of DNA bases in a gene which produces genetic variant
What does sexual reproduction produce ?
Genetically different cells
What is the process of sexual reproduction (2)
Sexual Reproduction is where genetic information from two organisms is combined to produce offspring which are genetically different to each parent
In sexual reproduction, the mother and father produce gametes, what are gametes ?
Sex cell
What are the gametes called in sexual reproduction?
Egg and sperm
What happens between the egg and the sperm cell
The egg cell and the sperm cell fuse together to form a cell with a full number of chromosomes
Why do offsprings inherit features from both parents ?
Because they receive a mixture of chromosomes from both parents
What does Asexual reproduction produce. ?
Genetically Identical cells