Key Terms Flashcards
Polyploid
More than 2 copies of a gene (alleles)
Haploid
Only 1 allele for each gene - half the chromosomes
Hox genes
Encode for transcription factors
Wild type
Gene or phenotype which is unmodified and natural to a species
Mutant
Organism which differs to the wild type due to a change in DNA sequence
Single nucleotide polymorphism
When a single nucleotide differs between organisms or species - this is usually a marker of a defect
Vertical gene transfer
Genes inherited from parents
Horizontal gene transfer
Genes which can be transferred to non related organisms
Transformation (bacteria)
Bacteria which acquire cell free dna from environment
Transduction
Gene transfer by bacteriophages
Bacterial conjugation
Cell to cell contact resulting in gene transfer
Conjugative fertility plasmids
They are plasmids which are usually transferred in conjugation - they encode for things like sex pili
High frequency recombination HFr
In conjugation where the chromosome from a bacteria is transferred rather than the plasmid
Genome
Sum total of genetic info in organisms
Genomics
Storage and analysis of dna sequencing data
Annotation file
Holds dna sequencing dna of bacteria
Eg the strain, gene position between nucleotides
Region of syntony
Genes which are similar or identical when comparing bacterial genomics
Pathogenicity islands
Units of dna which can be transferred to different strains
Replication forks
Site of dna synthesis
Homologue
A gene related to another one in their DNA sequence
Orthologue
Genes in different species that evolved from a common ancestral gene = similar in function
Paralogue
Genes generated by duplication events
Eg beta and alpha haemoglobin gene
Gene knockout
When genes are removed and gene expression is no longer happening
Gene knockdown
Techniques such as siRna which interfere with expression of a gene / sometimes don’t express the gene
Mini chromosomes
Short but rich in genes
B chromosomes
Additional chromosomes possessed by some individuals
Holocentric chromosome
No centromere but many kinetochore regions
Polythene chromosomes
Giant chromosomes in certain insects eg fruit flies
