Introduction to Genetics Notes

Question 1

What is genetics?

Answer 1

The scientific study of heredity and variation in living organisms.

Question 2

Why is understanding genetics important?

Answer 2

*cellular functions
*organismal development
*agricultural advancements
*personal genetics in medicine

Question 3

What are the branches of genetics?

Answer 3

• Classical (Mendelian) Genetics
• Molecular Genetics
• Population Genetics

Question 4

What are the three great milestones of genetics?

Answer 4

• Mendel’s Discovery of Heredity
• Watson & Crick’s Discovery of DNA Structure
• The Human Genome Project (HGP)

Question 5

What did Gregor Mendel discover?

Answer 5

Patterns of inheritance through experiments with pea plants.

Question 6

What is Mendel’s Law of Segregation?

Answer 6

During reproduction, one copy of a gene is randomly passed to offspring.

Question 7

What is Mendel’s Law of Independent Assortment?

Answer 7

Traits are inherited separately (e.g., eye color and height are not linked).

Question 8

What are alleles?

Answer 8

Different versions of a gene (e.g., brown vs. blue eye color).

Question 9

Who discovered the structure of DNA?

Answer 9

James Watson and Francis Crick, with crucial data from Rosalind Franklin.

Question 10

What are the components of a nucleotide?

Answer 10

• A sugar (deoxyribose)
• A phosphate group
• A nitrogenous base (A, T, C, G)

Question 11

What are the base-pairing rules in DNA?

Answer 11

A always pairs with T, and C pairs with G.

Question 12

What was the Human Genome Project (HGP)?

Answer 12

A global effort to sequence the entire human genome (~3 billion base pairs).

Question 13

How many genes do humans have?

Answer 13

Approximately 20,500 genes.

Question 14

What is the significance of non-coding DNA?

Answer 14

Much of our DNA does not code for proteins but may regulate genes.

Question 15

What are the medical implications of DNA sequencing?

Answer 15

• Early disease detection
• Drug development
• Gene therapy

Question 16

What is personalized medicine?

Answer 16

Tailoring treatments based on genetics.

Question 17

True or False: DNA is structured as a double helix.

Answer 17

True.

Question 18

Fill in the blank: The order of ______, DNA, and genes

Answer 18

[chromosome]

Question 19

What is the order of biological information flow?

Answer 19

DNA to RNA to Protein.

Question 20

What ethical considerations arise from genetic information?

Answer 20

• Genetic privacy
• Gene editing
• Access by employers or insurance companies