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GCSE Triple Higher Biology > Topic 6 - Inheritance, Variation and Evolution > Flashcards

Topic 6 - Inheritance, Variation and Evolution Flashcards

1
Q

What is adult cell cloning?

A

A type of cloning that forms an embryo from an adult body cell.

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2
Q

What is an Allele?

A

A version of gene.

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3
Q

What are amino acids?

A

Small molecules from which proteins are assembled.

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4
Q

What is the Archaea?

A

Primitive bacteria existing in extreme environments.

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5
Q

What is Asexual reproduction?

A

A form of reproduction involving a single parent. Creates genetically identical offspring.

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6
Q

What is a Binomial System?

A

The universal system of naming organism using their genus and species.

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7
Q

What is a chromosome?

A

A long, coiled molecule of DNA that carries genetic information in the form of genes.

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8
Q

What is classification?

A

The organisation of organisms into groups based on their characteristics and structure.

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9
Q

What is coding DNA?

A

A sequence of DNA that codes for the production of a protein.

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10
Q

What does complementary mean?

A

Describes how the chemical bases in DNA pair up with each other. A pairs with T and C pairs with G.

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11
Q

What is Cuttings?

A

The simplest method of cloning plants. A branch is cut from a parent plant and
replanted in compost after removing the lower leaves.

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12
Q

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

A

A cellular membrane disorder resulting from the presence of a recessive allele.

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13
Q

What is DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)?

A

A double-stranded polymer wound to form a double helix. Carries the genetic code.

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14
Q

What does dominant mean?

A

Describes an allele that is always expressed. Represented by a capital letter.

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15
Q

What is embryo screening?

A

A procedure used to determine the presence of faulty genes in an embryo produced by IVF. A few embryonic cells are removed and screened for defective
alleles.

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16
Q

What are embryo transplants?

A

The simplest method of animal cloning. Cells are removed from a developing embryo, split apart and grown in culture, before being transplanted into host
mothers.

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17
Q

What is Evolution?

A

The gradual change in the inherited traits within a population over time. Occurs
due to natural selection.

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18
Q

What is a Evolutionary Tree?

A

A diagram which illustrates the evolutionary relationships between organisms.

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19
Q

What is Extinction?

A

The death of all members of a species.

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20
Q

What is a family tree?

A

A chart used to show the inheritance of a condition in a family.

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21
Q

What is fertilisation?

A

The fusion of the nucleus of male and female gametes. Restores the full chromosome number.

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22
Q

What is a fossil?

A

The remains of dead organisms found in rocks which are millions of years old.

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23
Q

What are Gametes?

A

Sex cells (sperm and egg cells) with half the usual number of chromosomes.

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24
Q

What is a gene?

A

A section of DNA that codes for a specific sequence of amino acids which undergo
polymerisation to form a protein.

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25
What is genetic engineering?
The modification of the genome of an organism by the insertion of a desired gene from another organism, enabling the formation of organisms with beneficial characteristics.
26
What is a genome?
The complete genetic material of an organism.
27
What are genotypes?
An organism's genetic composition. Describes all alleles.
28
What are GM Crops.
Crops that have had their genomes modified by the insertion of a desired gene from another organsim.
29
What is the definition for Heterozygous?
When someone has two different alleles of a gene e.g. Ff.
30
What is the definition of Homozygous?
When someone has two identical alleles of a gene e.g. ff.
31
What is inbreeding?
The formation of offspring from the breeding of closely related individuals.
32
What is a Linnaean system?
The classification of organisms into kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species, as developed by Carl Linnaeus.
33
What is meiosis?
A form of cell division that produces gametes, non-identical cells with half the usual number of chromosomes.
34
What is Mitosis?
A form of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells (with a full set of chromosomes) from one parent cell.
35
What is MRSA?
A type of bacteria that is resistant to the antibiotic, methicillin.
36
What is a mutation?
A random change in DNA which may result in genetic variants.
37
What is natural selection?
The process by which the frequency of advantageous traits passed on in genes gradually increases in a population over time.
38
What is non coding DNA?
DNA which does not code for a protein but instead controls gene expression.
39
What is a nucleotide?
The monomers of DNA consisting of a common sugar, a phosphate group and one of four chemical bases (A, T, C, G) attached to the sugar.
40
What is a phenotype?
An organism’s observable characteristics. Due to interactions of the genotype and the environment.
41
What is a polydactyl?
A condition where an individual is born with extra fingers or toes due to the presence of a dominant allele.
42
What is protein synthesis?
The formation of a protein from a gene.
43
What is a punnet square?
A grid used to predict the potential outcomes of a genetic cross.
44
What does recessive mean?
Describes an allele that is only expressed in the absence of a dominant allele. Represented by a small letter.
45
What are ribosomes?
Sub-cellular structures where protein synthesis takes place.
46
What is selective breeding?
The process by which humans artificially select organisms with desirable characteristics and breed them to produce offspring with desirable phenotypes.
47
What are sex chromosomes?
A pair of chromosomes responsible for the determination of gender. XY in males. XX in females.
48
What is sexual reproduction?
A form of reproduction involving the fusion of male and female gametes. Creates genetic variation.
49
What is speciation?
The formation of new species in the course of evolution, often due to the evolution of two isolated populations.
50
What are species?
A group of similar organisms that are able to breed with one another to produce fertile offspring.
51
What is a Three domain system?
A method of classification in which organisms are categorised into three groups; Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryota. Developed by Carl Woese.
52
What is tissue culturing?
A method of growing living tissue or cells in a suitable medium to produce clone plants?
53
What is variation?
The differences between individuals due to genes, the environment or a combination of both.
54
What is a vector?
A carrier used to transfer a gene from one organism to another.
55
What occurs prior to meiosis?
Interphase - copies of genetic information are made during this process.
56
What happens during the first stage of meiosis?
- Chromosome pairs line up along the cell equator. - The pair of chromosomes are separated and move to opposite poles of the cell. - Chromosome number is halved.
57
What happens during the second stage of meiosis?
- Chromosomes line up along the cell equator - The chromatids are separated and move to opposite poles of the cell. - Four unique haploid gametes are produced.
58
Describe the circumstances in which Malarial parasites reproduce sexually and asexually?
Sexual reproduction in the mosquito. Asexual reproduction in the human host.
59
What are DNA nucleotides made up of?
- Common sugar - Phosphate group - One of four bases: A, T, C or G
60
Describe how nucleotides interact to form a molecule of DNA?
- Sugar and phosphate molecules join to form a sugar phosphate backbone in each DNA strand - Base connected to each sugar - Complementary base pairs joined by weak hydrogen bonds
61
Explain how a gene codes for a protein?
- A sequence of three bases in a gene forms a triplet - Each triplet codes for an amino acid - The order of amino acids determines the structure and function of protein formed
62
What are the two stages of proteinsynthesis?
- Transcription - Translation
63
What does transcription involve?
The formation of mRNA from a DNA template
64
Outline transcription
- Double helix DNA unwinds - RNA polymerase binds to a specific base sequence of non coding DNA in front of a gene and moves along the DNA strand - RNA polymerase joins free RNA nucleotides to complementary bases on the coding DNA strand - mRNA formation complete. mRNA detaches and leaves the nucleus
65
Outline Translation
- mRNA attaches to a ribosome - Ribosome reads the mRNA bases in triplet. Each triplet codes for one amino acid which is brought to the ribosome by a tRNA molecule - A polypeptide chain is formed from the sequence of amino acids which join together
66
How may a gene mutation affect an organisms phenotype?
- Neutral mutation does not change the sequence of amino acids. Protein structure and function same. No effect on phenotype. - Mutation may cause a minor change in an organism's phenotype - Mutation may completely change the sequence of amino acids. This may result in a non functional protein. Severe changes to phenotype.
67
What are the risks of BT crops? (Genetically moddified)
- Long term effects of consumption of Bt crops unknown - Insect larvae may become resistant to the Bt toxin - Killing insect larvae reduces biodiversity
68
What must be ensured when preparing tissue cultures?
Ensure aseptic (free from disease) conditions to prevent contamination by microorganisms.
69
What does the growth medium contain?
Nutrients and growth hormones.
70
Describe the plant cuttings method of plant cloning
Older but simpler method than tissue culture. Gardeners use this method to produce many identical new plants from a parent plant.
71
Detail the process of the plant cuttings method of plant cloning?
- A branch is cut off from the parent plant - The lower leaves of the branch are removed and the stem is planted - Plant hormones are used to encourage new root development - A plastic bag is used to cover the new plant to keep it warm and moist - New roots and a new plant is formed after a few weeks
72
Describe how adult cell cloning is preformed?
- The nucleus is removed from an unfertilised egg cell - The nucleus from an adult body cell, such as a skin cell, is inserted into the egg cell - An electric shock stimulates the nucleated egg cell to divide and it forms an embryo - The embryo cells contain the same genetic information as the adult body cell - When the embryo is a ball of cells, it is inserted into the uterus of an adult female to continue developing.
73
Outline the process of speciation through geographic isolation?
- Two populations of the same species are separated geographically - Geographic isolation prevent interbreeding and mixing of genes between the populations - Due to different selection pressures, different mutations occur producing different phenotypes in each population - Over time, the two populations may evolve so that they are not able to interbreed
74
How did Mendel study inheritance?
Through carry breeding experiments on plants and analysing the ratio of characteristics in offspring.
75
Why was Mendel's work not recognised until after his death?
He could not explain the mechanism of inheritance, as chromosomes were only discovered after his death. It was not communicated well to other scientists and not published in a reputable scientific journal.
76
How are fossils formed?
- Parts of organisms that have not decayed due to conditions needed for decay being absent - Parts of organisms that have been replaced by minerals as they decayed - Traces of organisms are preserved, covered in sediment and becoming rock
77
State the factors that may lead to extinctions
- New disease - Predation - Competition - Changes to the environment - Catastrophic events
78
Outline the process of antibiotic resistance bacteria evolving
- Mutations occur in bacteria producing genetic variation - Certain strains are resistant to antibiotics and are not killed when the antibiotic is applied - Resistant strains survive and reproduce - Over time, the population of the resistant strains increase
79
An example of resistant strain of bacteria?
mRSA
80
What can be done to reduce the rate of development of antibiotic resistant bacteria?
- Refrain from inappropriately prescribing antibiotics - Patients should complete the prescribed course of antibiotics - Restrict agricultural uses of antibiotics
81
Why is it difficult to keep up with emerging resistance strains?
Developing antibiotics have a high cost and take a long time to develop.
82
State the three domains
- Archaea - Eukarya - Bacteria
83
Which kingdoms belong in domain Eukarya?
- Plants - Animals - Fungi - Protists
84
How are evolutionary trees created?
By examining the DNA of different species and analysing how similar the sequences are.

GCSE Triple Higher Biology (8 decks)

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