Mutation and variation #10 Flashcards
What is the role of mutation in evolution?
Mutation is the source of all heritable variation and provides the raw material upon which natural selection acts to drive evolution.
What is evolution in a genetic context?
Evolution is the change in allele frequencies over time. Δp represents the change in frequency of one allele over time.
What is the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium theory?
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium theory is a mathematical model that predicts the frequencies of alleles and genotypes in a population if certain assumptions are met. These assumptions include no mutation, no migration, random mating, no selection, and a large population size.
Have human medical advances stopped natural selection?
No, human medical advances have not stopped natural selection. Medicine represents an environment with its own trade-offs and constraints that can influence the fitness of individuals.
Why is biological evolution slower than cultural change?
Biological evolution is slower than cultural change because cultural change can occur much more rapidly and can be transmitted across generations without genetic inheritance
Why do pathogens evolve much faster than humans?
Pathogens evolve much faster than humans because they have short generation times and high mutation rates, allowing them to adapt rapidly to changing environments.
How do genetic variants interact with environments/other genes to influence disease?
Many genetic variants interact with environments/other genes to influence disease by altering the expression or function of genes in response to environmental stimuli.
What does it mean that natural selection maximizes reproduction, not health?
Natural selection favors traits that increase an individual’s reproductive success, not necessarily traits that promote health or longevity.
What is variation?
Variation refers to the differences among individuals in a population, including differences in genotype and phenotype.
What is a locus?
A locus is a specific location on a chromosome that contains a gene.
What does it mean for a locus to be polymorphic?
A locus is polymorphic if it has two or more alternative forms of a gene, known as alleles, within a population.
What are the three possible genotypes for a given locus?
The three possible genotypes for a given locus are homozygous dominant (AA), homozygous recessive (aa), and heterozygous (Aa).
What is a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)?
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a variation in a single nucleotide (A, T, C, or G) at a specific position in the DNA sequence among individuals.
What is pleiotropy?
Pleiotropy refers to the phenomenon where a single genetic mutation affects multiple traits or phenotypes.
What is the mutation rate?
The mutation rate is the probability that a given nucleotide will be altered by a mutation per generation.
