Genetic Mutations and Gene Transfer QUESTIONS

Flashcards covering key concepts related to mutations, gene transfer, and DNA repair mechanisms.

What are the different types of mutations?

Point mutation, insertion, deletion, inversion, duplication, silent, missense, nonsense, frameshift.

What are types of spontaneous mutations?

Tautomeric shifts, deamination, formation of abasic site.

What are some mutagenic agents?

Chemical agents like base analogs, alkylating agents, deaminating agents, acridine derivatives; electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet rays, x-rays, and gamma rays.

What is the use of the Ames test?

Assay for the mutagenic properties of chemicals.

What are the types of DNA repair?

Error proof: photoreactivation, nucleotide excision, base excision, methyl mismatch, recombination; Error prone: Translesion bypass replication (SOS repair) and nonhomologous end joining.

What is horizontal gene transfer?

The process by which organisms transfer genetic material to one another, leading to genetic diversity.

What is transformation?

The process of taking up free DNA from the environment and incorporating it into the genome.

What is transduction?

The process by which viruses transfer genetic material between bacteria.

Compare generalized transduction and specialized transduction.

Generalized transduction transfers any bacterial genes; specialized transduction transfers specific genes associated with the viral genome.

What is conjugation?

The transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells through direct contact.

What are the additional modes of gene transfer between bacteria?

Transformation, transduction, and conjugation.

What are transposons?

DNA sequences that can change their position within the genome, affecting gene expression.

What is the common cause of gene duplication and gene loss?

Homologous recombination.

Define homologs, orthologs, paralogs.

Homologs are genes derived from a common ancestor; orthologs are homologs in different species, while paralogs are homologs within the same species resulting from duplication.

What are genomic islands?

Large DNA segments in a genome that contribute to the organism's adaptability and can include genes for antibiotic resistance or pathogenicity.

What is genome reduction?

The process where an organism loses large parts of its genome, often in response to environmental pressures.

Why are pseudogenes nonfunctional?

Pseudogenes are nonfunctional because they typically have mutations that prevent them from being expressed or functioning as proteins.