Topic 2: Life Cycles and Eukaryotic Chromosomes Flashcards
What are eukaryotic life cycles?
the vast majority of eukaryotes are diploid, which means they have 2 copies of every chromosome
diploid (2n) phase –> meiosis –> haploid (n) phase –> fertilization –> diploid (2n) phase
What happens to the pairs of homologs in the eukaryotic life cycles?
pairs separated during meiosis
paternal and maternal homologs join in fertilization (n –> 2n)
what’s the point? –> generate genetic diveristy
What is spermatogenesis?
male gamete production
What is oogenesis?
female gamete production
What is the process of spermatogenesis?
spermatogonia (2n) in the testes, undergoes mitosis endlessly until entering prophase I
after prophase I it becomes a primary spermatocyte (2n)
after meiosis I is complete there are now two secondary spermatocytes (n)x2
after meiosis II is complete there are 4 spermatids (immature sperm)
they then mature into sperm
What is the process of oogenesis?
oogonium (2n) in the ovaries, undergoes mitosis endlessly until entering prophase I
after prophase I it becomes a primary oocyte (2n)
in meiosis I the cytoplasm is divided unequally, resulting in a secondary oocyte (n) and the first polar body
the secondary oocyte undergoes meiosis II where it divides into the ovum and the second polar body
once this ovum is in contact with sperm fertilization occurs and a zygote is (2n) formed
more energy is put into each gamete than in spermatogenesis
sperm penetration happens before meiosis II
When does the process of spermatogenesis occur in males?
spermatogonia are being made into sperm continuously from puberty onward
When does the process of oogenesis occur in females?
the process of oogonium being made into primary oocytes happens before birth, so all of a females primary oocytes are present at her birth
these primary oocytes are arrested in prophase I until puberty
after puberty one or two primary oocytes a month will resume mitosis until they run out
What are the steps of early development in humans?
- ovulation: primary oocyte being released and resuming meiosis
- fertilization: nuclei fusion, sperm penetration
- cleavage
- implantation, at about 6-7 days the cell hatches and digs into uterus walls
What is the alternation of generations?
both the diploid and haploid stages are multicellular
What is the life cycle of flowering plants and conifers?
gametophyte depends/lives inside the sporophyte
What is the male half of the plant life cycle?
the stamen contains microsporocytes (2n)
through meiosis the microsporocytes (2n) become four microspores (n)
through mitosis the microspores become mature pollen grains called microgametophytes (n)
they contain 2 sperm nuclei and 1 tube nuclei
What is the female half of the plant life cycle?
the female pistil contain the megasporocytes (2n)
through meiosis the megasporocytes (2n) become four megaspores (n)
through mitosis the megaspores become eight nuclei megasporocyte
they contain 2 polar nuclei and 1 egg nuclei
What is double fertilization in the plant life cycle?
one sperm nuclei fuses with egg –> zygote (2n)
one sperm nuclei fuses with 2 polar nuclei –> endosperm (3n), this is the sterile, nutritive tissue that feeds plant embryo in seed
Why is yeast a food eukaryotic model?
unicellular
short life cycle (~90 min)
exists in both haploid and diploid form
easy to manipulate ploidy
all products of meiosis are in a single structure
grows easily in culture
What is the asexual haploid part of the yeast life cycle?
mating types: both a and alpha mating types, both contributing equal sized gametes so no male or female
mitosis of haploid cells: budding
What is the asexual diploid part of the yeast life cycle?
mitosis of diploid part of life cycle
What is the sexual part of the yeast life cycle?
nuclear fusion (not fertilization): two equal sized gametes, one from a and alpha
starvation induces meiosis –> haploid cultures
nutritive medium induces nuclear fusion –> diploid culture
What are the advantages to the life cycle of yeast?
recessive allele phenotypes can be observed in the haploid stage
allele interactions can be examined in the diploid stage