Genetic Inheritance, Mutation, Recombination, and Life Cycles

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering genetic inheritance, mutation categories, cellular division pathways, and life cycles based on BIOL 184 notes.

Descent with modification

The unifying principle in biology (evolution) that emerges from four main forces of evolution and links all biodiversity on Earth through common ancestry.

Natural selection

An evolutionary mechanism based on three observations: the struggle for existence, variation in characters, and the inheritance of characters.

Genetic variability

The essential raw material required for evolution, without which evolutionary change cannot occur.

Phenotype

The observable physical or trait characteristics of an organism, produced by the interaction of its genotype with non-genetic environmental factors.

Mutation

A rare and random error in replication during cell division that serves as the ultimate origin of all genetic variation.

Point mutation

A major class of mutation resulting from an error in duplication that alters individual nucleotide base pairs in a DNA sequence.

Synonymous mutation

A neutral mutation that changes a DNA sequence without altering the encoded amino acid or impacting fitness, such as TTT and TTC both coding for phenylalanine.

Insertion mutation

A mutation class where one or more extra nucleotides are added into a DNA sequence, often leading to a frameshift error.

Deletion mutation

A type of mutation in which a nucleotide is removed from a DNA sequence, causing a frameshift during translation.

Inversion mutation

A structural mutation where a segment of DNA is flipped or reversed end-to-end within the sequence.

Gene duplication

A chromosomal mutation class where a region of a chromosome is repeated, altering gene number.

Asexual reproduction

Reproduction accomplished through mitosis that produces offspring with genotypes identical to each other and to the parent, barring new mutations.

Sexual reproduction

Reproduction involving gamete fusion and meiosis, resulting in genetically unique offspring through recombination.

Recombination

The evolutionary process made possible by meiosis during sexual reproduction that creates brand new genotypes from existing ones.

Mitosis

A process of cell division used for somatic growth and asexual reproduction that yields genetically identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A specialized cell division process in germ cells that reduces chromosome numbers to form haploid gametes with unique gene combinations.

Somatic cells

Non-reproductive body cells that replicate via mitosis, forming tissues that are destined to die rather than pass copies of their genome to the next generation.

Germ cells

Specialized reproductive cell lineages that undergo meiosis to form gametes and pass genomic material to offspring.

Zygote

The diploid cell resulting from the fertilization and fusion of two haploid gametes.

Acquired immunity

An advanced vertebrate immune defense system that enables humans to adaptively combat evolving viral infections.