Model Organisms

Question 1

Define homologous genes

Answer 1

Two genes from different organisms that have similar DNA sequences, producing a similar protein structure.

Question 2

What are the main benefits of using model organisms in labs?

Answer 2

Ease of reproduction

Certain structural features

Cheap to maintain

Resilience

Question 3

What’s the importance of E.Coli?

Answer 3

Used in gene expression and DNA replication

Question 4

What is the importance of yeast and difference to E.Coli?

Answer 4

Only 2.5 times bigger than E.Coli

Crucial in understanding cell division

Question 5

What is A.Thaliana and what’s its importance?

Answer 5

Small flowering weed which can be grown indoors to give off thousands of offspring in 8-10 weeks

Agricultural industry

Question 6

What is the Nematode worm and what’s its importance?

Fun fact?

Answer 6

Transparent worm that attacks crop roots

Understanding programmed cell death - apoptosis, links to cancer

959 body cells exactly with varying number of sex cells - hermaphrodites

Question 7

What is the Drosophila.M and what’s its importance

Answer 7

Fruit fly

Has very similar genes to humans

Crucial in studying human development & disease
- provided proof that genes are carried in chromosomes

Question 8

What’s the importance of Zebra fish?

Answer 8

Transparent during first 2 weeks of life
- can easily see cells during development
- can also be genetically engineered relatively easily

Crucial in understanding developmental processes