Unit 5: Genetics and Biotechnology

Question 1

Allele

Answer 1

Alternate forms of a gene ex T or t

Question 2

Amniocentesis

Answer 2

a technique used to sample amniotic fluid (which contains fetal cells) to determine if a fetus has a genetic disorder

Question 3

Autosome

Answer 3

a non-sex chromosome #1-44

Question 4

Bacterial/Genetic Transformation

Answer 4

process of inserting DNA from one species into another creating a transgenic organism

Question 5

Biotechnology

Answer 5

branch of biology that involves modifying the genes of organisms to improve human life; also called genetic engineering, molecular biology, and recombinant DNA technology

Question 6

Cloning

Answer 6

process of making genetically-identical copies of genes or entire organisms

Question 7

Codominance

Answer 7

complex pattern of inheritance in which both alleles are expressed equally in the phenotype

Question 8

Color Blindness (Define and Cause)

Answer 8

sex-linked trait in which sufferers fail to distinguish between certain colors–usually red and green

Question 9

Crossing Over

Answer 9

process that occurs in meiosis in which homologous chromosomes overlap and exchange pieces creating unique sperm/egg cells

Question 10

Cystic Fibrosis (Define and Cause)

Answer 10

autosomal recessive disease characterized by a thick accumulation of mucus in the lungs and digestive tract

Question 11

Diabetes (Define and Cause)

Answer 11

a disease caused by a failure of the body to produce insulin (type I) or the development of insulin resistance over time (type II)

Question 12

Dominant

Answer 12

an allele or trait that is always expressed, is always the uppercase letter

Question 13

DNA Fingerprint

Answer 13

a pattern of bands in a gel created during electrophoresis that is unique for all of the members of a sexually-reproducing population

Question 14

Down Syndrome/Trisomy 21 (Define and Cause)

Answer 14

individuals that have 3 copies of chromosome #21

Question 15

Fertilization

Answer 15

process in which a sperm cell unites with an egg cell

Question 16

Gel Electrophoresis

Answer 16

process that uses an electrical current to separate DNA fragments by size creating a unique banding pattern in a gel called a DNA fingerprint; also called DNA fingerprinting

Question 17

Gene

Answer 17

A segment of DNA that codes for a protein/trait

Question 18

Gene Therapy

Answer 18

replacing defective genes with normal ones to cure disease

Question 19

GMO

Answer 19

genetically modified organism whose genome has been altered artificially through genetic engineering

Question 20

Genetics

Answer 20

the study of heredity

Question 21

Genome

Answer 21

all the genes found in a species

Question 22

Genotype

Answer 22

the combination of alleles for a trait(s) ex Tt, tt, or TT

Question 23

Hemophilia (Define and Cause)

Answer 23

sex-linked disease caused the lack of a blood clotting protein; sufferers can bleed to death from a simple cut/bruise

Question 24

Heterozygous

Answer 24

an organism has a dominant allele paired with a recessive allele; ex. Tt

Question 25

Homozygous Chromosomes

Answer 25

a pair of chromosomes that are the same size and have genes arranged in the same order; one comes from mom and one from dad

Question 26

Homozygous

Answer 26

an organism has the same two alleles for a particular trait; ex. TT or tt

Question 27

Human Genome Project (Define and Purpose)

Answer 27

was established in 1990 to sequence the 3 billion base pairs of human DNA (finished in 2001) and to map our 35,000 genes

Question 28

Huntington’s Disease (Define and Cause)

Answer 28

autosomal dominant disease characterized by a late onset (around age 35) and breakdown of the central nervous system; death by 45

Question 29

Incomplete Dominance

Answer 29

complex pattern of inheritance in which neither allele is dominant over the other resulting in an intermediate/blended phenotype

Question 30

Karyotype

Answer 30

a picture of a fetus’s chromosomes arranged in homologous pairs which can be used to determine sex and if genetic abnormalities are present

Question 31

Meiosis

Answer 31

a form of cell division that makes four genetically-different haploid gametes

Question 32

Multiple Alleles

Answer 32

complex pattern of inheritance governing human blood types (A, B, AB, O), in which there are more than two alleles for a trait

Question 33

Nondisjunction

Answer 33

the failure of chromosomes to separate properly during meiosis leading to genetic diseases like Down Syndrome, is very uncommon

Question 34

Pedigree

Answer 34

a chart showing the genetic relationships amongst the members of a family; can show traits/diseases

Question 35

Phenotype

Answer 35

the physical expression of the genotype; ex. brown eyes

Question 36

Plasmid

Answer 36

tiny rings of DNA found in bacteria located outside of their large circular chromosome, that often contain genes for antibiotic resistance and that we use to carry human genes in biotech, like the gene for insulin

Question 37

Polygenic Inheritance

Answer 37

complex pattern of inheritance in which traits with a broad range of phenotypes are controlled by more than one gene; examples include human height, skin color, weight, eye color, and hair color

Question 38

Punnett Square

Answer 38

a diagram that is used to show the probability of outcomes from a genetic cross

Question 39

Recessive

Answer 39

an allele or trait that is only expressed when not in the presence of a dominant one

Question 40

Restriction Enzyme

Answer 40

proteins that cut DNA into fragments; “molecular scissors”

Question 41

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (Define and Cause)

Answer 41

a sex-linked recessive disorder in which the patient lacks an immune system; has been successfully treated in some instances with gene therapy; AKA bubble boy syndrome

Question 42

Sex Chromosome

Answer 42

chromosomes that determine sex; the X and Y chromosomes

Question 43

Sex-Linked Traits

Answer 43

caused by genes on the X chromosome and are most often passed from mother to son

Question 44

Sickle Cell Anemia (Define and Cause)

Answer 44

disease that is caused by a mutation in DNA resulting in defective hemoglobin and leading to crescent-shaped red blood cells; carriers are immune to malaria

Question 45

Transgenic Organism

Answer 45

A genetically-modified organism (GMO) that contains foreign DNA (DNA from another species); ex. a glowing mouse or a frost-resistant strawberry plant

Question 46

Variation

Answer 46

Any difference between individuals of the same species.

Question 47

Zygote

Answer 47

a fertilized egg cell