Notes for natural selection Flashcards
What is dna
An organisms genetic matieral
What are genes
Genes are what make you, yourself
Describe a chromosone
Chromosomes are threadlike structures made of protein and a single molecule of DNA that serve to carry the genomic information from cell to cell.
what is the shape of dna
a shape known as a double helix.
what causes dna to have its uniform shape
The diameter of the DNA double helix is uniform throughout because a purine (two rings) always pairs with a pyrimidine (one ring) and their combined lengths are always equal.
what are the three parts that make up nucleotide
Each nucleotide, in turn, is made up of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate
what are the four nitrogen bases
Four different types of nitrogenous bases are found in DNA: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
how do the nitregon base pair together
The ‘pairing’ occurs because the complementary bases form hydrogen bonds with each other.
what is replication
the action or process of reproducing or duplicating. replication of DNA. 2. : performance of an experiment or procedure more than once.
describe the three types of rna
Messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules carry the coding sequences for protein synthesis and are called transcripts; ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules form the core of a cell’s ribosomes (the structures in which protein synthesis takes place); and transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules carry amino acids to the ribosomes during protein
what are three differences between RNA and DNA
RNA is single-stranded while DNA is double-stranded. RNA contains uracil while DNA contains thymine. RNA has the sugar ribose while DNA has the sugar deoxyribose.
what is transcription
Transcription, as related to genomics, is the process of making an RNA copy of a gene’s DNA sequence
what is a mutation
Any change in the DNA sequence of a cell. Mutations may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or they may be caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment. Mutations can be harmful, beneficial, or have no effect.
what is translation
The process of translation can be seen as the decoding of instructions for making proteins, involving mRNA in transcription as well as tRNA. The genes in DNA encode protein molecules, which are the “workhorses” of the cell, carrying out all the functions necessary for life.
what is required for a mutation to be passed on
Mutations can result from errors in DNA replication during cell division, exposure to mutagens or a viral infection.
differences between genotype and phenotype
A person’s genotype is their unique sequence of DNA.
what are three kinds of mutation
base substitutions, deletions and insertions.
what is a variation
A variation is a change or slight difference in a level, amount, or quantity.
what is natural selection
Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution
what are adaptations
The ability of living organisms to adjust themselves to their surroundings is called adaptation.
what is camoflage
the hiding or disguising of something by covering it up or changing the way it looks
describe the three types of adaptation
The three types of adaptation include structural, physiological, and behavioral.
what is mimicry
the action or art of imitating someone or something, typically in order to entertain or ridicule.
what is selective breeding
the practice of mating individuals with desired traits as a means of increasing the frequency of those traits in a population.
what is genetic engeinering
Genetic engineering (also called genetic modification) is a process that uses laboratory-based technologies to alter the DNA makeup of an organism
what is gmo
a plant, animal or microbe in which one or more changes have been made to the genome, typically using high-tech genetic engineering, in an attempt to alter the characteristics of an organism.
what are the advantages of gmo
More nutritious food.
Tastier food.
Disease- and drought-resistant plants that require fewer environmental resources (such as water and fertilizer)
Less use of pesticides.
Increased supply of food with reduced cost and longer shelf life.
Faster growing plants and animals.
what are some concerns of gmo
Potential health risks to humans include the possibility of exposure to new allergens in genetically modified foods, as well as the transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora.
