GENETICS ESSENTIALS: CONCEPTS AND CONNECTIONS 5TH
EDITION BY
BENJAMIN A. PIERCE EXAM QUESTIONS ANS ANSWERS
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,TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter 01: Introduction to Genetics ....................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 02: Chromosomes and Cellular Reproduction .......................................................................................... 15
Chapter 03: Basic Principles of Heredity ............................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 04: Extensions and Modifications of Basic Principles ............................................................................. 59
Chapter 05: Linkage, Recombination, and Eukaryotic Gene Mapping ................................................................. 98
Chapter 06: Chromosome Variation .................................................................................................................... 115
Chapter 07: Bacterial and Viral Genetic Systems ................................................................................................ 139
Chapter 08 DNA: The Chemical Nature of the Gene .......................................................................................... 152
Chapter 09: DNA Replication and Recombination .............................................................................................. 181
Chapter 10: From DNA to Proteins: Transcription and RNA Processing ........................................................... 198
Chapter 11: From DNA to Proteins: Translation ................................................................................................. 224
Chapter 12: Control of Gene Expression ............................................................................................................. 244
Chapter 13: Gene Mutations, Transposable Elements, and DNA Repair ............................................................ 278
Chapter 14: Molecular Genetic Analysis and Biotechnology .............................................................................. 298
Chapter 15: Genomics and Proteomics ................................................................................................................ 314
Chapter 16: Cancer Genetics ................................................................................................................................ 332
Chapter 17: Quantitative Genetics ....................................................................................................................... 346
Chapter 18: Population and Evolutionary Genetics ............................................................................................. 366
, Chapter 01: Introduction to Genetics
1. Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in 20,000 people. However,
the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona. Explain in terms of
natural selection why albinism is so rare in most human populations.
ANSWER: In most populations, there is fairly strong selection against albinism because albinos don‘t produce
melanin, causing their skin cells not to be protected from the damaging effects of sunlight. Also, the
lack of melanin in their eyes causes them to have poor eyesight. Finally, in most cultures albinos are
seen as abnormal, and they are not normally sought out for marriage and mating. Therefore, in most
populations the alleles that cause albinism are selected against, and they decrease in frequency or are
kept at a low level, causing the recessive trait to be rare.
2. Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in 20,000 people. However,
the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona. Explain in terms of
natural selection why the trait is so much more common among the Hopis of Black Mesa.
ANSWER: Albinos occupy a privileged position among the Hopis of Black Mesa. In this culture, albinos are
viewed as especially pretty, clean, and intelligent, and they often occupy positions of leadership.
Albinos are celebrated in the villages as a sign of purity of Hopi blood in the community.
Furthermore, albinos are often excused from normal male field labor because of their sensitivity to
sunlight, causing them to be left behind in the village with the women during the daytime. This
allows them extra mating opportunities compared to the other men of the village. Therefore, the
alleles that cause albinism are either selected for in this culture or at least not selected against as
strongly as in other cultures, allowing the trait to occur at a much higher frequency.
3. Which one of the following pairings between the subdiscipline of genetics and the phenomenon is
INCORRECT?
a. evolution—population genetics
b. gene regulation—molecular genetics
c. allelic frequency alteration—population genetics
d. arrangement of genes on chromosome—transmission genetics
e. chemical nature of the gene—transmission genetics
ANSWER: e
4. Which one of the following topics of research belongs to the discipline of transmission genetics?
a. inheritance pattern of gene alleles
b. mechanism of DNA replication
c. gene expression patterns
d. evolution
e. chemical modification of nucleic acids
ANSWER: a
5. The complete genetic makeup of an organism is referred to as its
a. chromosome.
b. alleles.
c. locus.