Module Five - Heredity Flashcards
Reproduction Cell Replication DNA and Polypeptide Synthesis Genetic Variation Inheritance Patterns in a Population
what is sexual reproduction?
- involves two parents
- offspring with mix of parent’s genes
- offspring differ from parents
what is asexual reproduction?
- involves one parent
- offspring are genetically identical to each other and the parent
what is the gene pool?
the genetic material of all organisms in a population
why is reproduction important?
- is a fundamental evolutionary process
- ensures continuity of life
what are the advantages of sexual reproduction?
- offspring contain a mix of parental genes, introducing genetic variation
- variations that are better suited to the environment have higher chance of surviving in changing environments
what are the disadvantages of sexual reproduction?
- demands more energy and time
- required to find a mate
- mating
- requires a lot of investment in a small amount of offspring
what does sexual reproduction require?
- female (ova) and male gametes (sperm)
- meiosis
what is meiosis?
- type of cell division that takes place in reproductive organs
- results in FOUR different daughter cells
what is a haploid?
- has HALF the amount of chromosomes
- 23 chromosomes for human haploids
what is a diploid?
- has the ENTIRE amount of chromosomes
- 46 chromosomes for human diploids
how are gametes produced?
- through meiosis
what are somatic cells?
- non-reproductive body cells
what is a zygote?
- a fertilised egg
- is a diploid
how many chromosomes do humans have?
46 chromosomes
what process is the reciprocal of meiosis?
fertilisation - fusion from haploid to diploid
meiosis - reduction from diploid to haploid
what is external fertilisation?
occurs outside the body
what is internal fertilisation?
occurs inside the body
what type of environment is best suited for external fertilisation?
- aquatic environments
- moist environments
what are examples of external fertilisation?
- earthworms
- fish
- frogs
what type of organism generally performs internal fertilisation?
terrestrial organisms
- reptiles
- mammals
what are the advantages of external fertilisation?
- wide dispersal of young
- reduces competition for food and living space
what are the disadvantages of external fertilisation?
- little to no parental care
- many eggs end up not fertilised
- dehydration
- exposure to external elements
what are the advantages of internal fertilisation?
- protection from external elements
- fewer eggs are required for successful offspring
- more parental care
what are the components of a flower?
- carpel : stigma, style, ovary
- stamen : anther, filament
- petals
- sepal
- receptacle
which part of the flower is male?
stamen
which part of the flower is female?
carpel
how does pollination occur in plants?
male gametes in the pollen go from the anther to the stigma
what is cross-pollination?
pollen from one plant pollinating another plant
what is self-pollination?
pollen from the same plant pollinating the plant
what is fertilisation in plants?
the sperm cell that was transferred by the pollen fuses with the egg inside the ovule
what are the advantages of self-pollination?
- requires less energy as there is no need to produce structures to attracts pollinators
- can grow in areas with very few animals and insects
what are the advantages of cross-pollination?
- genetic recombination
- higher chances of survival in the case of environmental change
what are some of the vectors of pollination?
wind, water, animals
what are the structural requirements for wind pollination in plants?
- long anthers
- large amounts of pollen produces
- large feathery stigma
how does pollination by animals occur?
pollinators search for a meal, such as nectar, which is when pollen rubs on their bodies to be carried to another plant
what are the structural requirements for animal pollination in plants?
- flower scent
- colour
- markings
- shape
- nectar
what is germination?
- when a seed lands in soil with sufficient water, oxygen and warmth
- embryo begins to grow
what is the life cycle of a plant?
pollination, fertilisation, seed dispersal, germination
what is seed dispersal?
- seeds from the ovary are dispersed
- advantageous over wide distances
- lessens overcrowding and competition for resources (water, nutrients, light)
what are the advantages of asexual reproduction?
- quick process
- no requirements for a mate
- being genetically identical is good if the organism is well adapted to the environment
- good in food shortage scenarios (requires less energy)
what are the disadvantages of asexual reproduction?
- little to no variation
- vulnerable to sudden changes in the environment
what is vegetative propagation?
- underground organs of a plant (roots, stem) can grow into new plants
what are the types of vegetative propagation?
runners, rhizomes, suckers, apomixis
what are runners (vegetative propagation)?
- long, thin, modified stems that grow on the surface of the soil
- along the stem, nodes produce new roots, for a new plant
what are rhizomes (vegetative propagation)?
underground, horizontal modified stems
what are some methods of asexual reproduction in animals?
budding, binary fission, and spores.
what is reproductive budding?
when an adult organism gives rise to a small bud, which separates from the parent and grows into a new individual
what is an example of reproductive budding?
yeast
how does reproductive budding work?
- a small bud grows on the parent cell
- as the bud grows, the parent replicates its DNA
- nucleus divides into two
- one half moves from the parent cell into the bud
- bud breaks off once it is big enough
what is binary fission?
the splitting of unicellular organisms into two
what undergoes binary fission?
unicellular organisms: bacteria and protists
how does binary fission work?
- a newly divided cell will grow to twice its size
- replicates its DNA
- splits into two cells with identical genetic material
what are spores?
- tiny unicellular reproductive cells that are produced in great numbers
- do not have an embryo
- does not need to with another cell to grow
what organisms release spores?
fungi (moulds and mushrooms) and some plants (mosses and ferns)
how do spores work?
- light: easily dispersed over long distances by wind
- carry genetic material identical to the parent
- under proper conditions, spores will germinate and grow
what are the three reproductive mechanisms in mammals?
internal fertilisation, implantation, and pregnancy
what is internal fertilisation?
the union of female and male gametes within the female’s body
what is implantation in mammal’s reproduction?
- the implantation of the embryo on the uterine walls
- development of the embryo internally
- increased chance of survival
what is pregnancy in mammals?
- the growth of an embryo within the mammal
- allows the embryo to be protected from the external environment
- constant nutrient supply
what are hormones?
- chemical messengers in the body
- coordinates functions such as metabolism and reproduction
what gland secretes hormones?
pituitary gland
what does the pituitary gland do?
- secretes hormones
- stimulates other endocrine glands, regulating their hormone releases
what are sex hormones?
hormones that specifically affect the growth/function of the reproductive organs.
when does the reproductive cycle begin in humans?
during puberty
what are the hormones involved in mammalian reproduction?
- androgens (testosterone)
- oestrogens
- progestogens
what is the purpose of oestrogen?
- control the development and functioning of the female reproductive system
i. e. enlarged breasts, pubic hair and widening hips
what is the purpose of progesterone?
- primary hormone in pregnancy
- stimulates secretion of milk (lactation)
- drop in progesterone leads to menstruation
how does oestrogen and progesterone regulate the ovarian cycle?
controls the production and maturation of gametes in the ovaries
how does oestrogen and progesterone regulate the menstrual cycle?
prepares the uterus for implantation of a fertilised egg
what is menstruation caused by?
- a sudden drop in progesterone and oestrogen, when there is no fertilised egg
- lining in the uterus tears away, exiting the body through the vagina
what is the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)?
helps with the maturation of follicles in the ovaries
what is the luteinising hormone (LH)?
promotes final maturation of the ovarian follicle, ovulation and development of the corpus luteum
what is ovulation?
- the release of an egg
- usually occurs on day 14 of the menstrual cycle
when is the follicular phase in the menstrual cycle?
from day 1 - day 14
when is the luteinising phase in the menstrual cycle?
from day 14 - day 28
what happens during the luteinising phase?
- the burst follicle in the ovary enlarges and changes colour
- forms the corpus lutuem
- corpus lutuem secretes progesterone
what hormone does the corpus lutuem secrete?
progesterone
how long is the average menstrual cycle?
28 days
when does luteinising hormone peak in the menstrual cycle?
day 14 (ovulation)
when does follicle stimulating hormone peak in the menstrual cycle?
day 14 (ovulation)
when does oestrogen peak in the menstrual cycle?
- day 14 (ovulation)
- day 20 (same time as progesterone)
when does progesterone peak in the menstrual cycle?
day 20 (same time as oestrogen)
what are the uterine phases in the menstrual cycle?
- menses (1-4)
- pre-ovulation (5-13)
- secretion (16-20)
- pre-menstruation (21-28)
what are the ovarian phases in the menstrual cycle?
- follicular phase
- ovulation
- luteal phase
which uterine phase occurs during the follicular phase in the menstrual cycle?
- menses
- pre-ovulation
which uterine phase occurs during the luteal phase in the menstrual cycle?
- secretion
- pre-menstruation
what occurs during the menses phase in the menstrual cycle?
the endometrium breaks down and tears away (period)
what occurs during the pre-ovulation phase in the menstrual cycle?
a new endometrium lining forms in the uterus
what occurs during the secretory phase in the menstrual cycle?
the corpus luteum secretes progesterone and oestrogen into the bloodstream
what occurs during the pre-menstruation phase in the menstrual cycle?
- degeneration of the corpus luteum
- deterioration of the endometrium
what three glands play a role in the production of sperm?
- hypothalamus
- pituitary gland
- Leydig cells
what hormone stimulate the production of testosterone in males?
luteinising hormone
what is the role of progesterone in the male reproductive system?
maintains the level of testosterone at a high level for the production of sperm
when does fertilisation occur?
- when the haploid nucleus of the egg fuses with that of the sperm
what is the result of fertilisation?
formation of a diploid fertilised egg (zygote)
what hormones are secreted during pregnancy?
- oxytocin
- prolactin
- prostaglandins
what is the role of prostaglandins during birth?
initiates labour
what is the role of oxytocin during birth?
promotes coordination contractions of the smooth muscle of the uterus and cervix
what is mitosis?
type of cell division where there is the formation of two new identical cells that contribute to growth of an organism
what is meiosis?
type of cell division that gives rise to gametes that transmit from one generation to the next
what role does mitosis play?
- growth in multicellular organisms
- repair of damaged tissue
- replacement of worn-out cells
- asexual reproduction
what role does meiosis play?
prevents the chromosome number from doubling with each generation
how many divisions do cells undergo during meiosis?
2
what are the successive divisions of meiosis called?
- meiosis I
- meiosis II
what occurs in meiosis I?
diploid divides into two haploid daughter cells (chromosomes halved)
what occurs in meiosis II?
the two haploids divide again into four haploid daughter cells
what did Watson & Crick discover?
the double-helical structure of DNA
in what year did Watson & Crick discover the double-helical structure of DNA?
1953
why is DNA replication vital?
- vital for the continuation of a species
- allows for genetic code to be replicated and passed on
what are the stages of mitosis?
interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, cytokinesis
what occurs during the interphase of mitosis?
- DNA replicates
- DNA begins to seperate into chromosomes
what occurs during the prophase of mitosis?
- nuclear membrane begins to break down
- spindle forms across cells
what occurs during the metaphase of mitosis?
- chromosomes line up across the centre of the cell (each chromosome consists of two identical sister chromatids)