BIOL 207 Molecular Genetics and Heredity.
Your shortcut to understanding complex topics.
Typical definition of Genetics - Answer: The study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation
What is a gene? - Answer: •Basic unit of heredity
•Sequence of DNA that codes for a product (RNA or protein) and it's regulatory regions
•Located on chromosomes
What is an allele? - Answer: One of two or more versions of a gene
What is a genome? - Answer: •The complete set of genetic material in a cell (including
mitochondrial, chloroplast, plasmid DNA)
•Includes genes as well as non-coding DNA regions
Genes vs Traits/phenotypes - Answer: •Genes are inherited
•Traits/phenotype are not directly inherited
•Traits/phenotype
•Observable characteristic
•Manifest as a result of the genes an individual carries, and the environment that
influences the expression of the genes
•Heritable trait - when a particular trait can be passed genetically
Central dogma - Answer: DNA -> RNA -> Protein
Since all organisms are thought to have evolved from a common ancestor this implies? -
Answer: the coding system for genetic information is the same in all living organisms
ATCG
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,Model Genetic Organisms - Answer: Organisms with characteristics that make them useful
for genetic analysis
-six have been the most intensively studied genetically
Six most intensively studied organisms - Answer: Fruit fly, E. Coli (bacterium), Nematode,
Arabidopsis thaliana, house mouse, bakers yeast
Common characteristics of model organisms - Answer: 1. Short generation time
2. Production of numerous progeny
3. The ability to carry out controlled genetic crosses
4. The ability to be reared in a laboratory environment
5. The availability of numerous genetic variants
6. An accumulated body of knowledge about their genetic systems
How have model organisms advanced our knowledge of human genetics? - Answer:
Helped identified that certain alleles/genes are responsibly for certain phenotypes.
Example of early genetics - Answer: domestication of plants and animals
Pangenesis - Answer: -each part of the body contains genetic information for that
particular part
-specific particles called gemmules carry info from parts of the body to the reproductive
organs (via blood) then passed to the embryo at the moment of conception
Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics / Lamarckian Inheritance - Answer: -traits acquired
in a person's lifetime become incorporated onto the person's hereditary info and are
passed onto offspring
Ex. Those who develop musical abilities may pass it done to there children
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,Preformationism - Answer: -inside egg or sperm is a tiny version of an adult (homunculus)
-this little man simple enlarges in the course of development
-offspring is genetically solely of the mother or of the father
Blending inheritance - Answer: -each traits of offspring are a blend or mixture of parental
traits
-suggested genetic material blends like colored traits
What led to the proposal of the Weismann : Germ-plasm theory - Answer: -tested the idea
of acquired inheritance of acquired traits by cutting of the tails of mice for 22 generations
-this did not alter their tail length thus no evidence to support inheritance of acquired
characteristics
Weismann : Germ-plasm theory - Answer: cells in reproductive organs carry a complete set
of genetic info that is passed to the egg and sperm
Schleiden and Schwann - Answer: The Unified Cell Theory
-Q: What are living things made of?
-all life composed of cells and the cell is the fundamental unit of structure and function in
living organisms
Abiognesis - Answer: -cells arise spontaneously
-disproved: cells arise only from pre-existing cells
Darwin - Answer: -put forth the theory of evolution through natural selection
-recognized the weakness in his theory: lack of understanding of heredity
Key Ideas of Darwin - Answer: -variation of traits within populations
-traits are inherited
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, -offspring with traits that increase their probability of survival survive to reproduce
Gregor Mendel - Answer: -principles of heredity
-discovered basic principles of heredity
-conclusions not widely known in the scientific community until 35 yrs after their
publication
-laid the foundation for our modern understanding of heredity
-generally recognized today as the father of genetics
-
3 Laws of Heredity - Answer: 1. The law of independent segregation: Each individual carries
two copies of an inherited trait (e.g., alleles), which segregate equally in the following
generation.
2. The law of independent assortment: Different inherited traits sort independently of one
another (e.g., pea plant height and flower colour)
3. The law of dominance: For a trait, one allele is dominant and appears in a 3:1 ratio.
Identification of dominant and recessive genes.
Walther Flemming: chromosomes - Answer: -Examined salamander embryos
-First to publish on the movement of chromosomes during cell division in 1879
-Published description of mitosis
-"Solved" the separation of chromosomes from mother to daughter cells
-His observations that chromosomes double is significant to the later-discovered theory of
inheritance
Theodor Boveri & Walter Sutton - Answer: •Sperm and eggs contribute the same number of
chromosomes
•Behaviour of chromosomes during cell division (highly organized, appear the same in
daughter cells, and doubles before cell division) can explain Mendel's laws of inheritance
APPHIA – Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
4
Your shortcut to understanding complex topics.
Typical definition of Genetics - Answer: The study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation
What is a gene? - Answer: •Basic unit of heredity
•Sequence of DNA that codes for a product (RNA or protein) and it's regulatory regions
•Located on chromosomes
What is an allele? - Answer: One of two or more versions of a gene
What is a genome? - Answer: •The complete set of genetic material in a cell (including
mitochondrial, chloroplast, plasmid DNA)
•Includes genes as well as non-coding DNA regions
Genes vs Traits/phenotypes - Answer: •Genes are inherited
•Traits/phenotype are not directly inherited
•Traits/phenotype
•Observable characteristic
•Manifest as a result of the genes an individual carries, and the environment that
influences the expression of the genes
•Heritable trait - when a particular trait can be passed genetically
Central dogma - Answer: DNA -> RNA -> Protein
Since all organisms are thought to have evolved from a common ancestor this implies? -
Answer: the coding system for genetic information is the same in all living organisms
ATCG
APPHIA – Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
1
,Model Genetic Organisms - Answer: Organisms with characteristics that make them useful
for genetic analysis
-six have been the most intensively studied genetically
Six most intensively studied organisms - Answer: Fruit fly, E. Coli (bacterium), Nematode,
Arabidopsis thaliana, house mouse, bakers yeast
Common characteristics of model organisms - Answer: 1. Short generation time
2. Production of numerous progeny
3. The ability to carry out controlled genetic crosses
4. The ability to be reared in a laboratory environment
5. The availability of numerous genetic variants
6. An accumulated body of knowledge about their genetic systems
How have model organisms advanced our knowledge of human genetics? - Answer:
Helped identified that certain alleles/genes are responsibly for certain phenotypes.
Example of early genetics - Answer: domestication of plants and animals
Pangenesis - Answer: -each part of the body contains genetic information for that
particular part
-specific particles called gemmules carry info from parts of the body to the reproductive
organs (via blood) then passed to the embryo at the moment of conception
Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics / Lamarckian Inheritance - Answer: -traits acquired
in a person's lifetime become incorporated onto the person's hereditary info and are
passed onto offspring
Ex. Those who develop musical abilities may pass it done to there children
APPHIA – Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
2
,Preformationism - Answer: -inside egg or sperm is a tiny version of an adult (homunculus)
-this little man simple enlarges in the course of development
-offspring is genetically solely of the mother or of the father
Blending inheritance - Answer: -each traits of offspring are a blend or mixture of parental
traits
-suggested genetic material blends like colored traits
What led to the proposal of the Weismann : Germ-plasm theory - Answer: -tested the idea
of acquired inheritance of acquired traits by cutting of the tails of mice for 22 generations
-this did not alter their tail length thus no evidence to support inheritance of acquired
characteristics
Weismann : Germ-plasm theory - Answer: cells in reproductive organs carry a complete set
of genetic info that is passed to the egg and sperm
Schleiden and Schwann - Answer: The Unified Cell Theory
-Q: What are living things made of?
-all life composed of cells and the cell is the fundamental unit of structure and function in
living organisms
Abiognesis - Answer: -cells arise spontaneously
-disproved: cells arise only from pre-existing cells
Darwin - Answer: -put forth the theory of evolution through natural selection
-recognized the weakness in his theory: lack of understanding of heredity
Key Ideas of Darwin - Answer: -variation of traits within populations
-traits are inherited
APPHIA – Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
3
, -offspring with traits that increase their probability of survival survive to reproduce
Gregor Mendel - Answer: -principles of heredity
-discovered basic principles of heredity
-conclusions not widely known in the scientific community until 35 yrs after their
publication
-laid the foundation for our modern understanding of heredity
-generally recognized today as the father of genetics
-
3 Laws of Heredity - Answer: 1. The law of independent segregation: Each individual carries
two copies of an inherited trait (e.g., alleles), which segregate equally in the following
generation.
2. The law of independent assortment: Different inherited traits sort independently of one
another (e.g., pea plant height and flower colour)
3. The law of dominance: For a trait, one allele is dominant and appears in a 3:1 ratio.
Identification of dominant and recessive genes.
Walther Flemming: chromosomes - Answer: -Examined salamander embryos
-First to publish on the movement of chromosomes during cell division in 1879
-Published description of mitosis
-"Solved" the separation of chromosomes from mother to daughter cells
-His observations that chromosomes double is significant to the later-discovered theory of
inheritance
Theodor Boveri & Walter Sutton - Answer: •Sperm and eggs contribute the same number of
chromosomes
•Behaviour of chromosomes during cell division (highly organized, appear the same in
daughter cells, and doubles before cell division) can explain Mendel's laws of inheritance
APPHIA – Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
4
