(1) Introduction to Genetics Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is genetics?
The study of genes, heredity, and variation in living systems.
What are the three core pillars of genetics?
Classical genetics (transmission genetics)
Evolutionary genetics
Molecular Genetics
What is the focus of classical genetics?
The transmission of phenotypes from parents to offspring.
What is the focus of evolutionary genetics?
The origin and evolution of variation.
What is the focus of molecular genetics?
The structure and function of DNA, RNA, and proteins.
What is genomics?
The sequencing and analysis of genomes.
Which domain of study is interested in gene interactions (e.g., pleiotropy, epistasis, and polygenic trait) and comparisons between different genomes?
Genomics
What is the name of the AI developed by Google’s DeepMind, which has revolutionized the process of predicting how an amino acid sequence will fold into its functional 3D shape?
Alpha Fold 2
What is translational medicine?
Directly translating discoveries in genetics and genomics into new and improved methods of diagnosing and treating disease.
Which gene has been identified to be a major control of LDL levels?
PCSK9
Explain why a high level of PSCK9 causes a high level of blood cholesterol (LDL) levels.
PCSK9 sticks to the LDL receptors, which causes the LDL-C to be unable to be captured by the receptors. Instead of capturing the LDL molecule and being reused, the receptor is absorbed by the lysosome. This causes the LDL (bad cholesterol) to stay in the bloodstream.
What is eugenics (including who developed it)
Eugenics is an idea developed and promoted by Francis Galton (half-dousing of Darwin).
Attempts to improve the human race using principles of genetics
What is heredetarianism?
The idea that human traits are determined solely by genetic inheritance, ignoring environmental effects. This describes the ‘nature’ side of the ongoing “nature vs. nurture” debate.
