Overview Flashcards
1
Q
What is genetics?
A
The analysis of the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and how variation is inherited from parent to offspring
2
Q
What is human genetics?
A
Scientific study of inherited human variation
3
Q
What are 3 reasons to bother studying human genetics?
A
- Medicine/human welfare: understanding diseases to improve the quality of life of people who suffer from that disease
- Understanding ourselves and our place in evolution
- Curiosity
4
Q
Is human genetics an applied or fundamental science?
A
Applied. Everything is done for a practical application
5
Q
Why are humans difficult to study compared to model eukaryotes?
A
Social, legal, ethical issues with humans that don’t exist with flies and worms and mice
6
Q
What are 8 reasons why studying human genetics is difficult compared to model eukaryotes?
A
- Can’t control crosses or dictate genotypes in a cross
- Slow generation time in humans
- Mutagenesis studies are impossible outside of cell culture
- Can’t select for genotypes or phenotypes of interest
- No mechanism to transform and generate transgenic organisms
- No true-breeding strains
- Small number of offspring, so low sample sizes. Difficult to detect rare events
- Can’t control variables and have to test hypotheses retrospectively
