DTU BIO4 exam questions• How can sequence (protein, RNA) alignments be used to construct phylogenetictrees?

• How can sequence (protein, RNA) alignments be used to construct phylogenetictrees?

• Protein allignment with algorithm calculations can show common ancestry. Prehistoric proteins can be found intact.

• What is the evidence that all life on earth descends from a common ancestor, LUCA?

• Evolution has branced out always. The commonalities lead back to a first cell that had the basic foundations for life

• What are the conditions for evolution in biology?

• There is natural variation in all poulations of organisms (big, small, etc.)

• Traits are inherited from ancestors.

• Survival of the fittest causes selection, assuming limited ressources and thus competition.

• What is an allele? What is the gene pool?

• Alleles are diferent types of genes. Dominant or recessive. Dipoid cells contain two alleles. The gene pool is all the variation caused by possible combinations of alleles.

• How can genetic diversity in a population of organisms be increased?

• Mutations (mistakes)

• Recombination (sex)

• Horizontal transfer (virusses eg.)

• What are examples of mutagens?

• Reactive oxygen species

• Deaminating agents

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

• Nitrosamines

• Alkylating agents

• Alkaloids

• Benzene

• Radiation (not a chemical mutagen)

• How can mutations lead to changes in gene expression?

• Change protein functions

• Change promoter

• Why can gene duplication be useful for evolution?

• "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents" - Charles Darwin

 What is horizontal gene transfer?

• Transfer with eg. Viruses. Genetecis material aquired by means other than reproduction

•  What is a genome-wide association study?

• Use probability to compare ex. Tall and short people to locate genome difference significance.

•  What is adaptive laboratory evolution and what is it useful for?

• Faking evolution in a lab. Bacteria.

•  What is convergent evolution?

• Different species evolving similar traits. Eg dolfins (mammals) that look like sharks (fish) and repillian fishes.

 How do viruses require extensions of the central dogma of molecular biology?

• They do fricking the RT reverse transcriptase RNA->DNA and also RNA -> RNA changes.

 What is the difference between the lytic and lysogenic cycles of viruses?

• Lyctic are when they are sending out phages in the host.

• Lysogenic are when they just replice by themselves. In unfavorable conditions.

•  What characterizes a retrovirus?

Uses viral RNA to program the host DNA to make RNA to make viral proteins

•  How have humans shaped the biomass distribution on earth since their appearance?

• Domestiaced animals and humans have increased. It is very effective as a species to be of use to humans.

•  What is a gene drive and what can it be used for?

• Can be used to cure malaria

•  What is the ecological justification for the de-extinction of the tasmanian tiger?

o   Restoring it could help rebalance ecosystems and boost biodiversity.

•  Why is it NOT possible to re-create an extinct animal simply based on its DNA? What are strategies to overcome these problems?

o   DNA alone isn't enough; development, behavior, and ecological interactions are also needed. Strategies include using surrogates and advanced cloning.

• What is a problem resulting from too much nitrogen being introduced into thebiosphere through human industrial fertilizer production?

•  Excess nitrogen causes nutrient pollution, leading to harmful algal blooms.

What is the problem resulting from methane production in agriculture?

• Methane contributes to global warming; livestock farming is a major source.

• What is the difference between genetic engineering and breeding?

• Synthetic vs. "natural". Essentially the same.