Week 3: Genetics and Evolution

Question 1

Behavioural Genetics

Answer 1

empirical science of how genes and environments combine to generate behaviour

Question 2

Adoption Study

Answer 2

a behaviour genetic research method that involves comparison of adopted children to their adoptive and biological parents

Question 2

Twin Studies

Answer 2

A behaviour genetic research method that involves comparison of the similarity of identical (monozygotic) and. fraternal (dizygotic) twins

Question 3

Quantitative Genetics

Answer 3

the scientific disciple in which similarities among individuals are analyzed based on how biologically related they are

Question 4

Heritability Coefficient

Answer 4

varying from 0-1, easily misinterpreted, meant to provide a single measure of genetics’ influence of a trait; measures how strongly differences among individuals are related to differences among their genes

Question 4

Evolution

Answer 4

change over time

Question 5

Natural Selection

Answer 5

Differential reproductive success as a consequence of differences in heritable attributes

Question 6

Adaptations

Answer 6

traits/behaviours that evolved over time to increase our reproductive success

Question 7

Intrasexual Selection

Answer 7

process of sexual selection - members of one sex compete with each other, and the victors gain preferential mating access to members of the opposite sex

Question 8

Sexual Selection

Answer 8

evolution of characteristics because of the mating advantage they give organisms

Question 9

Intersexual Selection

Answer 9

A process of sexual selection by which evolution (change) occurs as a consequence of the mate preferences of one sex exerting selection pressure on members of the opposite sex

Question 10

Psychological Adaptations

Answer 10

Mechanisms of the mind that evolved to solve specific problems of survival or reproduction

Question 11

Sexual Strategies Theory

Answer 11

explains how humans have developed different ways of approaching relationships and mating, like casual short-term relationships or long-term committed ones. It looks at:

The challenges men and women face in these different approaches.
The ways evolution has shaped behaviours to solve these challenges.

Question 12

Gene

Answer 12

a specific DNA sequence that codes for a specific polypeptide or protein of an observable inherited trait

Question 12

Epigenetics

Answer 12

study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence - marks include covalent DNA modifications and posttranslational histone modifications

Question 13

Phenotype

Answer 13

an organism’s observable traits, like its appearance, behaviour, or physical features - shows how genes (genotype) are expressed in real life

Question 14

Epigenome

Answer 14

the genome-wide distribution of epigenetic marks

Question 15

Identical Twins

Answer 15

two individual organisms that originated from the same zygote and therefore are genetically identical/very similar

Question 16

Genotype

Answer 16

the DNA content of a cell’s nucleus, whether a trait is externally observable or not

Question 17

DNA methylation

Answer 17

chemical change to DNA where a molecule called a methyl group attaches to a cytosine base, usually at specific spots in the DNA (called CpG sites)

Question 18

DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs)

Answer 18

proteins that add and maintain methyl groups on DNA

DNMT1 - keeps methylation consistent during DNA replication
DNMT3a and 3b - add new methylation patterns where needed

Question 19

HATs and HDACs

Answer 19

HATs - enzymes that transfer acetyl groups to specific positions on histone tails, promoting an “open” chromatin state and transcriptional activation

HDACs remove these acetyl groups, resulting in a “closed” chromatin state and transcriptional repression

Question 20

Histone Modifications

Answer 20

chemical changes to the “tails” of histone proteins; these changes, like adding acetyl, phosphate, or methyl groups, help control gene activity as part of epigenetic regulation