Topic 1.5

Question 1

How does the universal genetic code provide evidence for the cell theory

Answer 1

Nearly all organisms use the same genetic code, that codes for proteins (minor variations include mitochondrial DNA and certain single-felled eukaryotes)

Question 2

Explain Louis Pasteur’s experiments. How did it disprove spontaneous generation?

Answer 2

Louis Pasteur boiled broth in three different types of flasks to sterilize the broth. One was open, one was closed and the last had a swan neck. The open flask was contaminated with bacteria, while the closed flask was not. But for spontaneous generation to work, oxygen needs to be involved, so the swan neck flask had oxygen enter but the bacteria got caught in the neck. Since bacteria didn’t contaminate the broth, spontaneous generation was disproved.

Question 3

Formation of first organic compounds

Answer 3

The first cells must have arisen from non-living material

Question 4

Assembly of polymers

Answer 4

Deep sea vents provide energy for assembly of carbon compounds into polymers

Question 5

Formation of membranes

Answer 5

Phospholipids naturally form into bilateral since they are amphipathic

Question 6

Mechanisms for inheritance

Answer 6

Since DNA needs enzymes to replicate and enzymes need DNA to exist, RNA was the first genetic material

Question 7

Endosymbiotic theory

Answer 7

Mitochondria were once free prokaryotic organisms