Chapter 9 review Flashcards
(88 cards)
Mutations
Heritable change in genome
Spontaneous mutations
Occur without
external intervention
most mutations occur by
Most result from occasional errors by D N A polymerase
during replication
Induced mutations are caused
environmentally or deliberately
what Can result from exposure to natural radiation or chemicals
that chemically modify D N A
induced mutations
Types of Mutations
Base pair substitutions
Frameshift mutations
Reversions
Silent mutations
Missense mutations
Nonsense mutations
What type of mutation does the Ames test detect?
Revertant mutations that restore the ability to synthesize histidine.
What type of organism is used in the Ames test?
A strain of Salmonella with a mutation in the his gene (histidine auxotroph).
Why can’t the test strain grow on minimal media?
It cannot synthesize histidine due to a his gene mutation.
What does growth on minimal media without histidine indicate?
A mutation (reversion) restored the ability to produce histidine.
What is the role of minimal medium in the Ames test?
It selects for revertants that can grow without added histidine.
Why is the test strain more sensitive to mutagens?
It has mutations that inactivate nucleotide excision repair (NER) and increase cell wall permeability.
What does a high number of colonies on minimal media suggest?
The chemical being tested is likely mutagenic
Why is the Ames test considered simple and sensitive?
It detects rare revertants using a straightforward growth assay.
What are two genetic modifications in the Ames strain (besides his mutation)?
1) Defective NER system
2) More permeable cell wall
What is the purpose of the NER-deficient mutation in the test strain?
To prevent repair of induced mutations, increasing test sensitivity.
What do genomic islands provide evidence for?
Horizontal gene transfer.
What are genomic islands?
Segments of DNA in a genome that have been acquired through horizontal gene transfer
Name three types of genomic islands.
Pathogenicity islands, symbiosis islands, and fitness islands.
What are pathogenicity islands?
Genomic islands that carry genes contributing to a microorganism’s ability to cause disease.
What are symbiosis islands?
Genomic islands that contain genes involved in establishing beneficial relationships with hosts.
What are fitness islands?
Genomic islands that provide advantages for survival in specific environments.
What protein is essential for homologous recombination in Bacteria, Archaea, and most Eukarya?
RecA
What is the first molecular event in homologous recombination?
An endonuclease nicks one strand of the donor DNA molecule.