P2- Inheritance, variation and evolution Flashcards
2 types of reproduction
Sexual
Asexual
What is sexual reproduction?
Where genetic information from two organisms (mother and father) are combined to produce offspring which are genetically identical to either parent.
How many parents are there in sexual reproduction?
2
What do the mother and father produce in sexual reproduction?
Gametes (by meiosis)
What does each gamete contain in humans?
23 chromosomes
What do the egg and sperm cells do in sexual reproduction?
Fuse together/ Fertilise to form a cell with the full number of chromosomes (half from mother and half from father)
Why do the offspring of sexual reproduction contain a mixture of their parents’ genes?
Because there are TWO parents
What does a mixture of genetic information produce?
A variation in the offspring
What is asexual reproduction?
Where there is only one parent therefore the offspring are genetically identical to that parent
How many parents does asexual reproduction involve?
1
What process does asexual reproduction happen by?
Mitosis (ordinary cell divides)
What are the new cells created by asexual reproduction to their parent?
Clones
What is produced by meiosis?
Gametes
What is meiosis?
A process involving 2 cell divisions to make gametes which only have half the original number of chromosomes
Where is the only place meiosis happens in humans?
The reproductive organs (ovaries or testes)
How many cell divisions happen in meiosis?
2
Meiosis step by step
1) Before the cell divides, its genetic information is copied, to form 2 armed chromosomes
2) Chromosomes arrange themselves in pairs
3) 1st division= chromosome pairs line up in the centre of the cell
4) Pairs are pulled apart so each new cell only has 1 copy of each chromosome (some of mother, some of father)
5) 2nd division= chromosomes line up in centre again and arms are pulled apart
6) 4 gametes created with only a single set of chromosomes (each gamete is genetically different)
4 advantages of sexual reproduction over asexual
1) Offspring have a mix of 2 sets of chromosomes. Inherit genes from both parents to produce variation
2) Variation increases chances of surviving a change in environment (survival advantage)
3) More likely to breed successfully and pass genes on as their characteristics give them a better chance of survival (natural selection)
4) Can use selective breeding to speed up natural selection allowing us to produce animals with the desired characteristics. Means food production can increase
4 advantages of asexual reproduction over sexual
1) Only needs one parent
2) Therefore uses less energy as organisms don’t need to find a mate
3) Asexual is faster than sexual
4) Many identical offspring can be produced in favourable conditions
Can some organisms reproduce both sexually and asexually?
Yes
3 examples of organisms that can reproduce both sexually and asexually?
1) Malarial parasites
2) Fungi
3) Plants
How do malarial parasites reproduce sexually?
After the mosquito carrying a parasite bites a human, the parasite can be transferred to the human. The parasite produces sexually when its in the MOSQUITO.
How do malarial parasites reproduce asexually?
After the mosquito carrying a parasite bites a human, the parasite can be transferred to the human. The parasite produces asexually when its in the HUMAN HOST.
How does fungi reproduce sexually?
Fungi can release spores. Sexually-produced spores introduce variation and are often produced in response to an unfavourable change in environment, increasing the chance that the population will survive the change.
How does fungi reproduce asexually?
Fungi can release spores. Asexually-produced spores form fungi that are genetically identical to the parent fungus
How do plants reproduce sexually?
Many plants produce seeds sexually
How do plants reproduce asexually?
By runners such as strawberry plants, or bulb division such as daffodils.
What does DNA stand for?
Deoxyribonucleic acid
What is DNA?
-The chemical that all of the genetic material in a cell is made up from
-Contains coded information
-Found in chromosomes (in the nucleus)
-It is a polymer
What does your DNA determine?
The inherited characteristics you have
What is a genome?
The entire genetic information of an organism
3 reasons why it is important to understand the human genome?
1) Allows scientists to identify genes in the genome that link to different types of diseases
2) Knowing what genes link to inherited diseases could help develop effective treatments for them
3) Scientists can look at them to trace the migration of certain populations around the world
What do DNA molecules contain?
A genetic code that determines which proteins are built
What is the monomer of DNA called?
Nucleotides
What are DNA strands?
Polymers made up of lots of repeating units called nucleotides
What does each nucleotide consist of? What shapes are each one?
- A sugar (pentagon)
-A phosphate group (circle)
-A base (square)
What are the 4 different bases of DNA?
A, T, C, G
What do the 4 different bases of DNA attach to?
One of the 4 different bases joins to each sugar
What does base A always pair up with?
T
What does base C always pair up with?
G
What is complementary base pairing?
When A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G
What does the order of bases in a gene decide?
The order of amino acids in a protein
What is each amino acid coded for by?
A sequence of 3 bases in the gene
What is proteinsynthesis?
Protein synthesis consists of two stages – transcription and translation. In transcription the DNA code is read, and in translation the code is used to build up protein molecules.
What do the non-coding parts of DNA control?
They control whether or not a gene is expressed
How do ribosomes make proteins?
They use the code in the DNA
How is mRNA made?
Copying the code from DNA
What does the molecule mRNA help do?
Acts as a messenger between the DNA and the ribosomes and carries the code between the two
What happens after a chain of amino acids has been assembled?
It folds into a unique shape which allows the protein to perform the task its meant to do
3 examples of types of proteins
1) Enymes
2) Hormones
3) Structural proteins
What are mutations in DNA?
A random change in an organisms DNA.
How often do mutations occur?
Continously
What do mutations change?
The sequence of the DNA bases in a gene to produce a genetic variant.
Do most mutations have a big effect on the protein?
No
How can a mutation seriously affect a protein? What might happen as a result?
Sometimes, the mutation will code for an altered protein with a change in its shape. This could affect its ability to perform its function
What can happen if there is a mutation in the non-coding DNA?
It can alter how genes are expressed
What is the definition of gametes?
Sex cells (sperm and egg cells)
What is the definition of chromosomes?
Structures in a cell that contain genetic material, also known as DNA
What is the definition of gene?
Small sections of a chromosomes that codes for a protein
What is the definition of allele?
Different forms of the same gene (e.g AA/Aa/aa)
What is the definition of dominant?
Always expressed, even if only one copy is present