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Macroevolution - ANS large-scale evolutionary changes that take place over long periods of
time
heritable variation - ANS differences that are passed on from parent to offspring
Adaptation - ANS A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce
DNA replication - ANS The process in which DNA makes a duplicate copy of itself.
DNA polymerase - ANS An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule.
semiconservative - ANS method of replication that implies that each new strand of DNA is half
original and half new
template strand - ANS the strand of DNA that specifies the complementary mRNA molecule
Primer - ANS short segments of DNA that guide DNA polymerase to the section of DNA to
copy
Helicase - ANS An enzyme that untwists the double helix of DNA at the replication forks.
Gene - ANS DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission.
, silent mutation - ANS A mutation that changes a single nucleotide, but does not change the
amino acid created.
missense mutation - ANS subsitution of wrong nucleotide into DNA; still produces a protein
nonsense mutation - ANS subsitution of wrong nucleotide into DNA that produces an early stop
codon
frameshift mutation - ANS mutation that involves the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide in the
DNA sequence
Mutation - ANS A rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.
gene expression - ANS process by which a gene produces its product and the product carries out
its function
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology - ANS DNA --> RNA --> Protein
Transcription - ANS DNA to RNA
RNA polymerase - ANS Enzyme that links together the growing chain of ribonucleotides during
transcription.
Promoter - ANS Specific region of a gene where RNA polymerase can bind and begin
transcription
terminator - ANS In prokaryotes, a special sequence of nucleotides in DNA that marks the end
of a gene.
Codon - ANS The three-base sequence of nucleotides in mRNA
,stop codon - ANS codon that signals to ribosomes to stop translation
start codon - ANS codon that signals to ribosomes to begin translation; codes for the first amino
acid in a protein
Anticodon - ANS group of three bases on a tRNA molecule that are complementary to an mRNA
codon
mRNA (messenger RNA) - ANS The form of RNA which is created as a blueprint from DNA;
carries instructions for making a protein
tRNA (transfer RNA) - ANS The form of RNA that carries each amino acid to the ribsome to
form the polypeptide chain (protein)
rRNA (ribosomal RNA) - ANS type of RNA that makes up the major part of ribosomes
Species - ANS A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Population - ANS A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same
area
gene pool - ANS Combined genetic information of all the members of a particular population
evolutionary fitness - ANS success in passing genes to the next generation
adaptive trait - ANS a heritable trait that enhances an individuals fitness; an evolutionary
adaption
sexual selection - ANS when individuals select mates based on heritable traits
, artificial selection - ANS selective breeding of plants and animals to promote the occurrence of
desirable traits in offspring
gene flow (migration) - ANS movement of alleles from one population to another
genetic drift - ANS random change in allele frequencies that occurs in small populations
bottleneck effect - ANS a reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by a
reduction in its size
founder effect - ANS a change in a population descended from a small number of colonizing
individuals
Clade - ANS a group of species that includes an ancestral species and all its descendants
Genus - ANS A classification grouping that consists of a number of similar, closely related
species
Order - ANS (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more families
Class - ANS In classification, a group of closely related orders
Phylum - ANS (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants
Kingdom - ANS large taxonomic group, consisting of closely related phyla
Family - ANS (biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more genera
Speciation - ANS the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.