©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
EEB 184 LECTURE 2 - GENETIC
TOOLKIT Exam Questions And Answers
(Guaranteed A+)
Housekeeping genes - answer✔encode proteins with roles in essential processes in all cells of
the body (e.g, metabolism)
-aways actively working to maintain the basic functions of their house-the cell (defending
death, energy production)
-ex. Gapdh is a gene involved in glycolysis that is expressed in mostly all cells
-this is a housekeeping gene because it is not patterning the body and is helping with a broad,
important function
toolkit genes - answer✔encode proteins with roles in the formation and patterning of body
plan and body parts (organismal development)
-just a subset of all the genes in an animal's genome
-ex: Hox genes
signaling pathway genes - answer✔mediate short and long range interactions between cells
-ex 2: Shh is a gene involved in patterning of several body parts, including the digits
-this is a signaling factor because it doesn't drive transcription of cells, but sort of moves
between cells (binds on receptors of cells in the finger region, resulting in the formation of
digits)
transcription factors - answer✔regulate the expression of other genes during development (i.e.,
the transcription of other genes)
1|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
*in the nucleus of the cell (within cells)
gene expression - answer✔The translation of information encoded in a gene into protein or
RNA structures that are present and operating in the cell. Expressed genes include genes that
are transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) and then translated into protein, as well as genes
that are transcribed into RNA, such as transfer and ribosomal RNAs, but not translated into
protein.
phenotype - answer✔the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the
interaction of its genotype with the environment.
syncytial - answer✔nuclei share the same cytoplasm and are not separated into individual cells
by plasma membranes
-basically just one giant cell as opposed to several smaller ones
-ex: nuclei of the Drosophila embryo are syncytial during their first thirteen division cycles
-important for transcription factors because all the nuclei are in one cell, so t.f.s can act as
morphogens and are not constrained to the boundaries between cells
morphogenesis - answer✔generation of the shape of an organism by embryological processes
of differentiation of cells, tissues, organs and the development of organ systems
anterior-posterior axis - answer✔A straight line that cuts through the body from front to back.
pattern formation - answer✔The development of a multicellular organism's spatial
organization, the arrangement of organs and tissues in their characteristic places in three-
dimensional space.
maternal effect genes - answer✔genes in the mother's genome that code for RNAs deposited in
each egg cell; regulate gap genes
-maternal effect genes essentially lie at the top of the hierarchy; disruptions at the top affect
the rest of the patterning process
-in drosophila: maternal mRNA bicoid / bicoid protein & nanos mRNA/ nanos protein form a
gradient from the future head end to the tail end
2|Page
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
EEB 184 LECTURE 2 - GENETIC
TOOLKIT Exam Questions And Answers
(Guaranteed A+)
Housekeeping genes - answer✔encode proteins with roles in essential processes in all cells of
the body (e.g, metabolism)
-aways actively working to maintain the basic functions of their house-the cell (defending
death, energy production)
-ex. Gapdh is a gene involved in glycolysis that is expressed in mostly all cells
-this is a housekeeping gene because it is not patterning the body and is helping with a broad,
important function
toolkit genes - answer✔encode proteins with roles in the formation and patterning of body
plan and body parts (organismal development)
-just a subset of all the genes in an animal's genome
-ex: Hox genes
signaling pathway genes - answer✔mediate short and long range interactions between cells
-ex 2: Shh is a gene involved in patterning of several body parts, including the digits
-this is a signaling factor because it doesn't drive transcription of cells, but sort of moves
between cells (binds on receptors of cells in the finger region, resulting in the formation of
digits)
transcription factors - answer✔regulate the expression of other genes during development (i.e.,
the transcription of other genes)
1|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
*in the nucleus of the cell (within cells)
gene expression - answer✔The translation of information encoded in a gene into protein or
RNA structures that are present and operating in the cell. Expressed genes include genes that
are transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) and then translated into protein, as well as genes
that are transcribed into RNA, such as transfer and ribosomal RNAs, but not translated into
protein.
phenotype - answer✔the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the
interaction of its genotype with the environment.
syncytial - answer✔nuclei share the same cytoplasm and are not separated into individual cells
by plasma membranes
-basically just one giant cell as opposed to several smaller ones
-ex: nuclei of the Drosophila embryo are syncytial during their first thirteen division cycles
-important for transcription factors because all the nuclei are in one cell, so t.f.s can act as
morphogens and are not constrained to the boundaries between cells
morphogenesis - answer✔generation of the shape of an organism by embryological processes
of differentiation of cells, tissues, organs and the development of organ systems
anterior-posterior axis - answer✔A straight line that cuts through the body from front to back.
pattern formation - answer✔The development of a multicellular organism's spatial
organization, the arrangement of organs and tissues in their characteristic places in three-
dimensional space.
maternal effect genes - answer✔genes in the mother's genome that code for RNAs deposited in
each egg cell; regulate gap genes
-maternal effect genes essentially lie at the top of the hierarchy; disruptions at the top affect
the rest of the patterning process
-in drosophila: maternal mRNA bicoid / bicoid protein & nanos mRNA/ nanos protein form a
gradient from the future head end to the tail end
2|Page
