Unit 3 mutation

Question 1

what gives an organism its character

Answer 1

-almost every cell has a nucleus which is the control centre of a cell but also contairs its DNA
- in DNA is it’s genes which are like instructions for the cell’s characteristics
- genes are codes for proteins and the proteins produced is what gives a cell
it’s characteristic

Question 2

what is a mutation

Answer 2

-if there is a mistake in the dna, it can change the proteins and characteristics
-it’s a change in a dna sequence
-not every change makes a difference (silent mutations)

Question 3

what can mutations be caused by

Answer 3

-cell growth
-environmental factors (eg.smoking)
-damage from processed inside the cell (eg.free radicals)

Question 4

good things mutation does

Answer 4

creates evolution

Question 5

bad things evolution does

Answer 5

-some are fatal
-causes diease
-can also make you less likely to survive and reproduce

Question 6

genetic diseases that affect someone at birth

Answer 6

down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis

Question 7

genetic diseases that affect someone later in life

Answer 7

alzheimer’s, most cancers

Question 8

an example where genetic diease was beneficial

Answer 8

sickle cells and malaria

• sickle cell anemia creates a hostile environment for the parasite which causes malaria meaning many survivors of malaria past on sickle cell disease and also survive malaria