Mitosis Flashcards
What feature best distinguishes living things from non-living matter?
The ability to reproduce, which is based on cell division.
What is the genome?
A circular DNA molecule (constitutes all the DNA of a cell).
How do bacteria divide?
By binary fission
Describe the concept of binary fission
- The single, circular bacterial chromosome is replicated (begins at origin of replication and proceeds bidirectionally).
- New chromosomes are at the opposite ends of the cell
- A septum forms to divide the cell into 2.
How is DNA arranged in the cells?
There are usually multiple DNA molecules (may be only one), which are packaged into chromosomes.
What cells perform mitosis?
All of them.
What are the major organelles involved in cell division?
Centrioles (assembly/organisation of mircotubules), cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nucleolus.
What are chromatin (including composition and shape)?
Dark material containing DNA (40%) and proteins (60%). Long, has to be condensed to fit into nucleus.
What is the chromatid structure?
Chromatin is coiled around proteins. Every 200 nucleotides coiled around 8 histone proteins.
What makes the nucleosome?
Histones and DNA
What is the selenoid?
A structure that nucleosomes are further compacted into.
How many chromosomes do Eukaryotes generally have? How many do humans have?
Generally between 10 and 50. Humans have 46.
How many different kinds of chromosomes do human have? How many sets?
23 different kinds of chromosomes. 2 sets of 23 chromosomes (one from the father and one from the mother).
What is a haploid number of chromosomes (n)?
Complete set of chromosomes necessary to define an organism. For humans, n=23.
What is a diploid number of chromosomes (2n)?
Reflects the equal contribution of each parent. For humans, 2n=46.
How are maternal and paternal sets called?
Homologous chromosomes.
What happens in sexual reproduction?
The sperm cell penetrates the egg cell and their nuclei fuse. They form a single nucleus containing 1 complete set of 23 chromosomes from each parent.
How do cell grow (number wise)?
Initial divides into 2, the 2 into 4, etc.