Unit 5-evolution

Describe what recombinant DNA technology is and how it can be applied

Allows researchers to mix and match specific DNA sequences from any organism, creates unnatural DNA molecules

Describe what genome editing is and how the CRISPR-CAS system is used

Making precise changes to an organisms DNA

Cuts and modifies DNA at specific locations, like genetic scissors, alter base pairs, regulate transcription, epigenetic modifications, tag, screens, target RNA

Describe the requirements for PCR & how PCR works

Amplification of a DNA sequence. Need information about surrounding DNA for primers-allow synthesis to begin, RNA polymerase that can with stand high temperatures

Denaturation-separates two strands of DNA

Annealing-attaches primers

Extension-synthesizes complementary DNA strand from dNTPs, starting at primers

Describe how DNA sequencing works (Sanger method)

ddNTPs attach to growing DNA to terminate then can find last, look at repeats to match up

Describe how genomes are sequenced, assembled & analyzed with bioinformatics

Extracted then broken into fragments, assembled by machines, annotated to identify genes and functional sequences, then compared

Describe the main features of prokaryotic & eukaryotic genomes

Pro-small, circular, many operons, few regulatory, plasmids, lateral gene transfer size=genes

Euk-large protein coding genes, regulatory sequences, non-coding proteins, many repeats

Describe the main features of the human genome

Lots are introns, some regulatory, few coding, some tandem repeats, much same in everyone

Describe the kinds of “omics” in biology and their uses

Transcriptomics- sequencing cDNA, identify mRNA present, what genes expressed

Proteomics-large scale study of proteins, study change or interaction

Metabolomics- focuses on metabolites, small molecules involved in metabolic processes

Understand the concept of genetic equivalence

All cells in an organism contain same genes, some de-defferentiate, entire organism can grow from one adult cell

Describe the roles of differential gene expression in development

Central to development, helps cell differentiate and specialize as zygote divides genes turn off and on depending on cell signals and chromatin structure guiding formation of tissue and organs

Describe possible processes for differential gene expression

Regulated gene expression-chromatin condensation, transcriptional control, alternative splicing, translation rate, activation of proteins

Describe five essential developmental processes

Divide mitosis, signaling what to do, express certain genes differentiate, move, expand/contract, death

Explain the concept of pattern formation & the role(s) of morphogens

Events that determine spatial organization in embryo-molecules that signal what is what

Make patterns present in concentration gradient, major axis first, activate genes that make signals providing more specific information about location

Explain regulatory cascades in development, especially for homeotic genes

Linked genes, once one activated then rest triggered

Genes to form body parts, maternal, gap, pair rule, segment, hox, effector

Explain how gene expression differences can lead to evolutionary change

Genetic switches determine when are where genes expressed, development and evolution of differences among species, processes modified leads to changes

Understand the concepts of heterometry, heterochrony & heterotopy

Heterometry-change in level, evolve in form or expression, ex. Beak length, width depth

Heterochrony-change in period of growth, ex. Giraffe neck longer period of expression

Heteropy-change in spatial patterns, ex. Webbing in ducks not chicks, apoptosis

Understand the concept of typological thinking & how it is different than population thinking

Typological-every organism was of perfect type, created by god, types didn’t change

Population-based on variation, certain traits produce more offspring

Explain how Darwin’s & Wallace’s ideas were revolutionary

Overturned that species are unchanging, replace typological with population, could account for change in time and predictions could be tested

Describe patterns predicted by the theory of evolution by natural selection & evidence for these

Species change through time, species are related by a common ancestor

Describe four postulates of natural selection & explain how natural selection causes evolution

Variation exists in individuals in population

Some traits are inheritable

Survival and reproduction are variable

Individuals that produce and survive better is not random

Define fitness, adaptation & selection as used in evolution

Fitness-ability to produce surviving offspring relative to ability of others in population

Adaptation- heritable trait that increases fitness compared to individuals lacking

Selection-different reproduction resulting from heritable variation

Apply postulates of evolution by natural selection to real-world biological examples

Bids’ beak shape, drug resistance

variation, heritability, different survival and reproduction, non-random survival