U0 Chapter 1: Evolution, the Themes of Biology, and Scientific Inquiry Flashcards
Biology
The scientific study of life, is a subject of enormous scope, and exciting new biological discoveries are being made every day
Emergent Properties
Due to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases
Systems Biology
The exploration of a biological system by analyzing the interactions among its parts
Eukaryotic Cell
Contains membrane enclosed organelles
Prokaryotic Cells
Lacks a nucleus or other membrane enclosed organelles
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Information within cells, genetic material
Genes
Each section of the DNA of the chromosome
Gene Expression
Process by which the information in a gene directs the manufacture of a cellular product
Genome
The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits
Genomics
The study of whole sets of genes (or other DNA) in one or more species
Proteomics
The study of sets of proteins and their properties
- the entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell, tissue, or organism = proteome
Bioinformatics
The use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze the huge volume of data that results from high-throughput methods
Feedback Regulation
The output or product of a process regulates that very process
- the most common form of regulation in living systems is the negative feedback loop (the response reduces the initial stimulus)
- a positive feedback loop is where the end product speeds up its own production
Climate Change
A directional change to the global climate that lasts for three decades or more (as opposed to short-term changes in the weather)
Evolution
A process of biological change in which species accumulate differences from their ancestors as they adapt to different environments over time
Bacteria and Archaea
Consist of single-celled prokaryotic organisms
Inquiry
The search for information and explanations of natural phenomena
Data
Recorded observations
Inductive Reasoning
Collecting and analyzing observations can lead to important conclusions based on this type of logic
Hypothesis
An explanation based on observations and assumptions, that leads to a testable prediction
Experiment
A scientific test carried out under controlled conditions
Deduction Reasoning
Involves logic that flows in the opposite direction, from the general to the specific
Controlled Experiment
One that is designed to compare an experimental group with a control group
Variables
A feature or quantity that varies in an experiment
- Independent variable, the factor being manipulated by the researchers
- Dependent variable, the factor being measured that is predicted to be affected by the independent variable
Model Organism
A species that is easy to grow in the lab and lends itself particularly well to the questions being investigated
Emergent Properties
Result from interactions among components at the lower levels
Systems Biology
Scientists attempt to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems by studying the interactions among the system’s parts
Gene Expression
Produces RNAs that are not translated into protein but serve other important functions
Genomics
The large-scale analysis of the DNA sequences of a species (its genome) as well as the comparison of genomes between species
Bioinformatics
Uses computational tools to deal with huge volumes of sequence data
Producers
Convert energy from sunlight to chemical energy, some of which is used by them and by consumers to do work, and is eventually lost from the ecosystem as heat
