Variation

Question 1

Definition of variation

Answer 1

The differences that exist within a species or between different species

Question 2

Example of variation between two cats

Answer 2

The colour of their fur and their size

Question 3

Can variation be between different species and examples

Answer 3

Chimpanzees and bonobos are our closest relatives and do the variation that exists between them and us is less than that between us and plants for example.

Question 4

Three causes of variation

Answer 4

1. Genetic factors
2. Environmental factors
3. Combination of genetic and environmental factors (how your genome interacts with the environment

Question 5

Examples of variation caused by genetic factors

Answer 5

The inheritance of genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.
Eye colour.
Blood group.

Question 6

Examples of variation caused by environmental factors

Answer 6

Any scars or tattoos you have.
Hair can be lightened by the sun.
Skin can be darkened by the sun.

Question 7

Example of variation and explanation caused by genetic and environmental factors (how your genome interacts with the environment)

Answer 7

Your weight and height.
People who are born from tall parents are usually tall themselves however we need calcium in our diet for strong bones and teeth. Children who do not receive enough calcium may have shorter bones. Thus your height may be determined genetic and environmental factors.

Question 8

What is continuous data

Answer 8

Data that comes in a range and not in groups

Question 9

Example of continuous variation

Answer 9

Your height as for example you can be 150 or 151 cm tall or even 151.5 cm tall,

Question 10

What are results involving continuous variation shown in

Answer 10

A line graph or histogram

Question 11

What is discontinuous data

Answer 11

Data that come in groups not a range

Question 12

Examples of discontinuous variation

Answer 12

Blood type and eye colour. For example you can have type A blood or type O blood but you can’t be halfway between A and O.

Question 13

What are results of a survey involving discontinuous variation shown in

Answer 13

A bar chart

Question 14

What does a larger survey with more data mean

Answer 14

That the results are more likely to be reproducible

Question 15

What is normal distribution

Answer 15

Data that are more common around a mean and form a bell-shaped graph

Question 16

What does a bell-shaped graph show

Answer 16

Normally distributed data. The most common value is in the very middle and the least common values at each ends

Question 17

What might the values of the edges of a bell graph be referred to

Answer 17

‘outliers’

Question 18

The more values that are recorded for looking at variation…

Answer 18

The closer the graph forms a bell shape

Question 19

Do mutations influence the phenotype

Answer 19

Most mutations have no effect on the phenotype; some influence phenotype, but very few determine phenotype

Question 20

What is a mutation

Answer 20

Any change to your DNA

Question 21

How often do mutations occur

Answer 21

They occur continuously in living organisms

Question 22

What is selective breeding

Answer 22

When breeders choose two parents with particular characteristics that they want in the offspring

Question 23

What is the species of dogs called

Answer 23

Canis familiaris

Question 24

Species of wolves

Answer 24

Canis lupus

Question 25

Example of dogs selective breeding

Answer 25

Selective breeding of protective female and male dogs has given us breeds such as the German shepherd.

Question 26

Examples of selective breeding in cows

Answer 26

Friesian cows have been selectively bred to produce more milk, but it is less creamy unlike how jersey cows have been selectively bred.

Question 27

How has wheat been selectively bred

Answer 27

Dwarf wheat has been selectively bred to be less easily damaged by bad weather and therefore to increase the farmer’s yield

Question 28

How are some plants selectively bred

Answer 28

For their scent, size, colour, number of flowers or more resistant to disease

Question 29

What is selective breeding also called

Answer 29

Artificial selection

Question 30

What can selective breeding do

Answer 30

Rapidly reduce the variation in a population.

Question 31

What is inbreeding

Answer 31

Breeding of individuals who are closely related genetically

Question 32

What can inbreeding cause

Answer 32

It can result in some genetic weaknesses. Repeated inbreeding can magnify some negative characteristics by mistake alongside desirable ones.

Question 33

Example of negative that inbreeding can pass on

Answer 33

Misaligned hips in dogs

Question 34

What is a gene pool

Answer 34

A measure of the total set of genes in a population

Question 35

What does a low gene pool show

Answer 35

That their genetic variation is very low

Question 36

What does genetic variation being low cause in animals

Answer 36

They might find it difficult to evolve to a changing environment or combat a new communicable disease

Question 37

What is genetic engineering

Answer 37

A scientific technique in which a gene is moved from one organism to another to give a desired characteristic

Question 38

Another name for genetic engineering

Answer 38

Genetic modification

Question 39

What are the organisms produced by genetic engineering called

Answer 39

Transgenic or genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Question 40

What is a negative on genetic engineering

Answer 40

It is an ethical issue

Question 41

How is genetic engineering highly regulated

Answer 41

Licenses must be granted before it can be undertaken and organisations must follow specific methods and only work on certain organisms.

Question 42

Is it illegal to genetically engineer humans

Answer 42

Yes

Question 43

How were glow-in-the-dark rabbits created

Answer 43

Jellyfish normally glow in the dark under UV light however rabbits don’t because jellyfish posses a gene to make a protein which makes them glow. This gene was cut out from the DNA of a jellyfish using an enzyme. The same enzyme was inserted into the genome of the rabbit embryo and sealed into place using a different enzyme. The embryo was therefore genetically engineered. The embryo was then inserted into the uterus of a rabbit, which from this point onwards had a normal pregnancy.

Question 44

What colour did the glow in the dark rabbit glow under UV light

Answer 44

Green

Question 45

What is the glow in the dark gene mostly used for by scientists now

Answer 45

Only as a marker to check that the other more important genes have been transferred

Question 46

How has golden rice been genetically engineered

Answer 46

To contain carotene which reduces the chance of vitamin A deficiency which causes blindness

Question 47

How is soya been genetically engineered

Answer 47

To be herbicide resistant meaning that herbicide can be sprayed all over it to kill the weeds in the area but not the soya

Question 48

How has cotton been genetically engineered

Answer 48

To be resistant to the boll weevil insect pest

Question 49

How has maize been genetically engineered

Answer 49

In many parts of Africa, or be drought resistant however in Europe to be resistant to the corn-borer insect

Question 50

4 plants that have been genetically engineered

Answer 50

Golden rice Soya Cotton Maize

Question 51

Good possible use for genetically modified (GM) crops

Answer 51

Many people think that the technology should be used to help those people who currently do not have enough food. Such as drought resistant crops can be planted in parts of the world like Africa and could save many lives.

Question 52

Why are some people against genetically modified crops

Answer 52

For some, their religion teaches them that humans should not interfere with God’s creation, Some people think that genes might spread into the wild gene pool. What would happen if the gene for herbicide resistance spread to weeds? Some people think that the effects on human health of eating GM crops are not yet fully understood.

Question 53

Example of transgenic animals being genetically engineered to produce the molecules that we need

Answer 53

A sperm cell and an ovum from sheep fertilised in vitro fuse to create an embryo which is then mixed with DNA of a human gene int his case the gene for blood clotting factor injected into nucleus. The embryo is placed into the sheep surrogate and the lamb then has the human gene for the clotting factor so when it is adult the clotting factor will be produced in its milk and can be extracted to treat haemophilia.

Question 54

What things have been genetically modified to have blood-clotting proteins (called factors)

Answer 54

Sheep and bacteria

Question 55

What does haemophilia cause

Answer 55

A person with haemophilias blood does not clot as quickly as that in other people, meaning that they lose more blood every time they are internally or externally injured.

Question 56

Explain how we genetically engineered bacteria for bacteria to produce insulin

Answer 56

1: locate and remove the insulin gene by it being cut out of DNA using an enzyme 2. A plasmid is cut open with the same enzyme and the insulin gene is inserted into it using another enzyme. 3. The plasmid is then put into the bacterial cell 4. The genetically modified bacteria read the human gene and make insulin and since they reproduce quickly large amounts can be made 5. It is extracted from the bacteria

Question 57

What is the plasmid when genetically engineering bacteria called and why

Answer 57

A vector be used it delivers the human gene to the bacteria

Question 58

What can be used as vectors

Answer 58

Viruses

Question 59

How was insulin obtained before genetically engineering bacteria

Answer 59

From dead livestock at abattoirs

Question 60

Advantages of genetically engineered insulin (compared to from dead livestock at abattoirs)

Answer 60

1. It is human insulin (not pig or cattle insulin which is slightly different) 2. The production process is more efficient and less time consuming 3. Vegetarians and vegans can use insulin that is not produced from dead animals (which is in line with their principals)