Variation, reproduction and new technology Flashcards
What is genetic engineering used for?
Transfer a gene from one organism to another into their cells to give a desired characteristic
How are the genes cut out for genetic engineering?
Using an enzyme it is cut out of a chromosome and placed into another
Give an example of genetic engineering for treating diabetes
The gene for creating insulin is cut using an enzyme from one chromosome and put into a person’s chromosome who has diabetes to create the insulin and treat diabetes
Give 3 advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering/ cloning
A : Useful characteristics can be put to use, cure illnesses, could solve world hunger to make resistant to insects.
D : GM crops are infertile so farmers have to pay out every year, could cause issues when let into the wild, effect on wildlife and humans that GM crops could cause, ethical?
Where are genes found?
On chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell
What’s the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction?
Asexual doesn’t involve the fusion of gametes, all the genes come from one parent, all the offspring are identical. Sexual reproduction is the fusion of gametes and there is variety as there is a mix of genes.
Why might the same species have different characteristics?
Differences in gens inherited, conditions which they have developed in
What is tissue culture?
Taking a cutting (small group of cells) from a part of a plant and growing them in special conditions
What is cuttings?
Taking a cutting from a leaf or part of a plant and growing it
Why are cuttings better than tissue culture?
Cheaper and quikcer
Why is tissue culture better than cuttings?
It can produce large numbers of rare and top quality plants
What’s an embryo transplant?
Used to clone animals
An embryo with unspecialised cells is split into smaller groups of cells and placed in a host animal and are all genetically identical.
What’s adult cell cloning?
First, a nucleus is removed using an enzyme from the skin cell of the animal you want to clone. The nucleus is also removed from an egg cell of another animal. The nucleus is fused together with the skin cell with a mild electric shock and starts to divide to form an embryo. This is then placed inside the uterus of the surrogate mother and a baby is born, a clone of the first sheep.
Give 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of adult cell cloning?
A : Save animals from extinction, reproduce rare animals with qualities that can be used for many things, such as in medicines.
D : Ethics, Limits the variation and could be the destruction of the gene pool which could lead to problems with natural selection, cloning humans is a scary idea.
