Introduction to Genetics Flashcards

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1
Q

Transmission genetics

A

Transfer of genetic information from parents to offspring; understand and predict how traits are inherited

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2
Q

Molecular genetics

A

deals w/ DNA and the genome; understanding gene structure, expression and function; Central Dogma

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3
Q

What is the genetic material in eukaryotes and prokaryotes? What is the genetic material in some viruses?

A

Eukaryotes and prokaryotes: DNA

Some viruses: RNA

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4
Q

Genome

A

an organism’s full DNA sequence, or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus

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5
Q

What is DNA composed of and look like?

A

two chains each made of nucleotides composed of a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a base; a double helix

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6
Q

What are the four bases in DNA?

A

Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine

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7
Q

What base is replaced in RNA and what is it called?

A

In RNA, Uracil replaces Thymine

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8
Q

Genes

A

specific base sequences passing traits from parents to offspring

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9
Q

How is genetic material in cells organized?

A

into chromosomes

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10
Q

What is the difference between how DNA is organized in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

A

In prokaryotes, DNA is in a singular, circular chromosome.

In eukaryotes, DNA is either in the form of chromosome in a nucleus or in a circular molecule in an organelle.

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11
Q

Endosymbiosis theory

A

Organelles appeared from prokaryotes; Ex: mitochondria and chloroplast

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12
Q

Chromosome

A

composed of DNA and protein; circular in prokaryotes and linear in eukaryotes

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13
Q

Centromere

A

constricted part of a chromosome that holds together two chromatids

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14
Q

Nucleosomes

A

DNA packaged efficiently in a chromosome, coiled around molecular spools

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15
Q

Each nucleosome is composed of eight proteins called?

A

Histones

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16
Q

Chromatin

A

DNA + associating nucleosomes

17
Q

Ploidy

A

number of sets of chromosomes

18
Q

N

A

chromosome set

19
Q

1N

A

1 set of chromosomes; haploid organisms have this

20
Q

2N

A

2 sets of chromosomes; diploid organisms have this

21
Q

Do haploid or diploid organisms have homologous pairs of chromosomes?

A

Diploid; 2 versions of each chromosome, 1 from each parent

22
Q

How many chromosomes do the human species have? How many pairs of autosomes and how many pairs of sex-determining chromosomes do humans have?

A

46 total chromosomes, 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex-determining chromosomes

23
Q

Diploscapter pachys

A

a worm; “a single chromosome”; hasn’t had sex in 18 million yrs

24
Q

Oxytricha trifallax

A

cilliate; “16,000 chromosomes”; organism that builds itself a new genome every time it has sex

25
Q

What are the two examples of organisms that are polyploid?

A

Strawberries and salamanders

26
Q

Polyploid

A

more than 2 sets of chromosomes

27
Q

How much data does a strawberry store?

A

200 Terabytes

28
Q

Central Dogma

A

transfer of instructions stored in DNA (genotype) into proteins that perform physical action and make physical form (phenotype)

29
Q

What are the steps to Central Dogma?

A
  1. DNA replication
  2. Transcription (DNA ->RNA)
  3. Translation (RNA->proteins)
30
Q

Reverse transcription

A

cDNA is made from a RNA template; cDNA has no introns compared to regular DNA

31
Q

Population genetics

A

Change in genetic information among individuals over generations; understand and predict trait/gene evolution within populations

32
Q

Quantitative genetics

A

deals w/ quantitative traits, which are phenotypes that vary continuously (such as height or mass)

33
Q

What are the four sources of variation in DNA?

A

Mutations, recombination, selection, epigenetics

34
Q

Mutations

A

heritable changes in genetic material

35
Q

Recombination

A

exchange of genetic material; produced by enzymes that cut and rejoin DNA molecules

36
Q

Selection

A

favoring particular gene combinations in a given environment

37
Q

Epigenetics

A

changes in phenotype in the absence of any underlying change in the DNA sequence

38
Q

Genetic maps

A

sites of genes (loci) on chromosomes, and genetic distances between them calculated from recombination in experimental crosses; show whether genes w/ related functions are on the same chromosome; useful in cloning and genome sequencing

39
Q

Desirable qualities for an experimental organism (model organism) include:

A
  1. well-known genetic history
  2. short life cycle (generations can be studied in little time)
  3. large number of offspring per mating
  4. ease of growing and handling
  5. marked genetic variation