Unit 5: Topic 3 - Mendelian Genetics Flashcards
What does genetic similarity across all living organisms suggest?
Genetic similarity across living organisms suggests a common ancestor for all organisms that had common genetic features. Common genetic features such as DNA, RNA, etc., were likely conserved features from the common ancestor during evolution.
What are the two main carriers of genetic information?
The two main carriers of genetic information are DNA and RNA. Both store information through the sequence of their nucleotides
Are the features of the genetic code similar among all living systems, and if so, what does this suggest?
Yes, all living organisms have similarities in their genetic code. For example, all organisms use DNA and RNA in their genetic code. This suggests that there was a universal common ancestor who had these similar genetic traits.
Are core metabolic pathways conserved across all living organisms, and if so, what does this suggest?
Core metabolic pathways are conserved across all living organisms, which suggests that a universal common ancestor shared these traits. For example, most living organisms can perform glycolysis across all three domains.
What are the 3 Mendelian laws of genetics?
1) The law of segregation: Each genetic trait is determined by a pair of genes, and each child gets half of the pair from each parent
2) The law of independent assortment: Each gene is inherited independently, so having a particular gene isn’t dependent on having another gene
3) The law of dominance: There are two versions for a specific gene for a trait, dominant and recessive. An organism with a dominant gene will always display the dominant trait.
What condition must be true for Mendel’s law of segregation and independent assortment to be applicable? a) The genes are on the same chromosome b) The genes are on different chromosomes c) The genes must be located on the Y chromosome d) The genes must be co-dominant
a) The genes are on the same chromosome.
Mendel’s law of segregation (which is that you get one allele for a gene from each parent) can only work for genes that are on the same chromosome because you inherit a copy of a chromosome from each parent. The law of independent assortment (which is that having a specific gene does not influence the chances of getting another gene) can only be used for genes that are on different chromosomes since genes that are on the same chromosome are not likely to be influenced by outside factors.
How does fertilization increase genetic variation?
Fertilization involves the fusion of two haploid cells to create a diploid cell which increases genetic variation by creating new allele combinations
What would be the probability of two children having sickle cell disease if there’s a 25% chance for them to get it, and what is the probability for a child to have either sickle cell or Tay Sachs disease, which has a 50% chance assuming both diseases are mutually exclusive?
Since two children having sickle cell disease are both independent events, to find the probability, you multiply the probability of each child having sickle cell by each other. So it would be 25% * 25% = 6.25%. Since the probability of the child having Tay Sachs or sickle cell is mutually exclusive, to find the probability, you need to add the probability of having Tay Sachs and the probability of having sickle cell disease. So it would be 50% + 25% = 75%
What is possible to predict from this pedigree?
a) The genotypes of the individuals in this pedigree
b) The genotypes of futures generations
c) The phenotypes of future generations
d) All of the above
e) None of the above
d) All of the above
