Genomes Flashcards
Genome
All of the hereditary information in an organism, including not only genes but also other non-gene stretches of DNA.
human genome project
The multinational research project that sequenced the human genome.
genomics
The field of study concerned with sequencing, interpreting, and comparing whole genomes from different organisms.
functional genomics
The study of how a genome works, that is, when and where specific genes are expressed and how their products interact to produce a functional organism.
shotgun sequencing
A method of sequencing genomes that is based on breaking the genome into small pieces, sequencing each piece separately, and then figuring out how the pieces are connected.
bacterial artificial chromosome
An artificial version of a bacterial chromosome that can be used as a cloning vector to produce many copies of large DNA fragments.
BAC library
A collection of all the sequences found in the genome of a species, inserted into bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs).
bioinformatics
The field of study concerned with managing, analyzing, and interpreting biological information, particularly DNA sequences.
What types of organisms are selected for whole genome sequencing?
bacteria that cause disease or have interesting biological properties.
What is the most basic task in annotating or interpreting a genome?
Identify which bases constitute genes
homology
Similarity among organisms of different species due to their inheritance from a common ancestor. Features that exhibit such similarity (e.g., DNA sequences, proteins, body parts) are said to be homologous
What is the relation between prokaryote size and metabolic function?
more metabolic function, greater genome size
Lateral gene transfer
Transfer of DNA between two different species, especially distantly related species. Commonly occurs among bacteria and archaea via plasmid exchange; also can occur in eukaryotes via viruses and some other mechanisms.
environmental sequencing
The inventory of all the genes in a community or ecosystem by sequencing, analyzing, and comparing the genomes of the component organisms.
What are the two biggest challenges in sequencing eukaryotes?
- size
- genomes are dominated by sequences that occur between genes or inside introns and do not code for products used by the organism
transposable elements
Any of several kinds of DNA sequences which are capable of moving themselves, or copies of themselves, to other locations in the genome. Include LINEs and SINEs.
Are transposable elements seen as beneficial to the host’s fitness?
no, considered parasitic
Long interspersed nuclear element(LINE)
The most abundant class of transposable elements in human genomes; can create copies of itself and insert them elsewhere in the genome. Are much longer than SINEs, which move by a similar mechanism.
microsatellites
A noncoding stretch of eukaryotic DNA consisting of a repeating sequence 1- to 5-base pair long. Also called the simple sequence repeat.
minisatellites
A noncoding stretch of eukaryotic DNA consisting of a repeating sequence that is 6 to 500 base pairs long. Also called the variable number tandem repeat.
unequal crossover
An error in crossing over during meiosis I in which the two non-sister chromatids match up at different sites. Results in gene duplication in one chromatid and gene loss in the other.
DNA fingerprinting
Any of several methods for identifying individuals by unique features of their genomes. Commonly involves using PCR to produce many copies of certain simple sequence repeats (microsatellites) and then analyzing their lengths.
psuedogene
A DNA sequence that closely resembles a functional gene but is not transcribed. Thought to have arisen by duplication of the functional gene followed by inactivation due to a mutation.
What is the great paradox of eukaryotic genomes?
Complex creatures do not necessarily have a relatively large amount of genes. eg. humans have less genes than mice
