Genetics: A Conceptual Approach - Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts from the genetics lecture, providing questions and answers that encapsulate key ideas in the subject.

What is the primary focus of transmission genetics?

Transmission genetics examines the principles of heredity and how traits are passed from one generation to the next.

What is the role of DNA in genetics?

DNA carries the genetic information and serves as a template for the encoding of traits.

How are eukaryotic chromosomes structured?

Eukaryotic chromosomes are complex structures made up of DNA that is tightly wound around histone proteins.

Define the term 'genotype'.

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the alleles present.

What is the relationship between genes and alleles?

Genes are segments of DNA that code for traits, and alleles are different forms of the same gene.

What is mitosis?

Mitosis is a type of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Explain the concept of a model genetic organism.

A model genetic organism is a species that is extensively studied to better understand genetic principles, due to its ease of manipulation and fast reproduction.

What is population genetics concerned with?

Population genetics focuses on the genetic composition of populations and how it changes over time due to evolutionary forces.

What is the purpose of telomeres in chromosomes?

Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes from degradation and prevent them from fusing with each other.

Define 'epigenetics'.

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.