Chapter 1 Study Guide BIO 2313 Fall 2025 - KARIA

Flashcards covering fundamental concepts of genetics, genetic structure and function, variation, inheritance, molecular expression, levels of biological organization, and notable genetic case studies.

What is the basic unit of heredity?

The gene.

What are genes?

Segments of DNA that code for traits.

What are traits?

Characteristics that an organism displays.

What are alleles?

Variations of genes.

What are nucleotides?

Building blocks of DNA.

What are chromosomes?

Cellular structures that contain genetic information.

How does genetic variation arise?

From differences in nucleotide sequences.

What is natural selection?

A process where environmental factors favor certain phenotypes.

What is biological evolution?

The study of genetic changes over time.

How does genetic variation relate to traits in a population?

Genetic variation underlies variation in traits among individuals; variation can occur at the species level (e.g., gape).

What is gape in fish biology?

The size of a fish's mouth, which determines the prey size it can eat.

What role does the environment play in traits?

The environment influences the traits of an organism.

How is genetic material transmitted to offspring?

During reproduction, from parents to offspring.

What are somatic cells?

Diploid cells with two sets of chromosomes.

What are gametes?

Haploid cells with a single set of chromosomes.

What are homologous chromosomes?

A maternal and a paternal chromosome that pair up with the same genes in the same order; may carry different alleles.

What is a karyotype?

The visual organization of chromosomes.

What stores the information needed to make proteins?

DNA within chromosomes.

What is the proteome?

The entire collection of proteins a cell makes at a given time.

What are enzymes?

Proteins that accelerate chemical reactions and participate in catabolic pathways.

What do most genes encode?

Polypeptides.

What is transcription?

The process by which RNA is synthesized.

What is translation?

The process that converts RNA into a polypeptide.

What is gene expression?

Involves transcription and translation; influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

What does the molecular level focus on in genetics?

Gene expression and protein synthesis.

What characterizes the cellular level in genetics?

Genes affect the traits of cells.

What is the organismal level?

Traits displayed by individual organisms.

What is the population level?

The prevalence of traits within a species.

What processes constitute gene expression?

Transcription and translation.

What factors influence gene expression?

Genetic and environmental factors.

What is a mutation?

A relatively small heritable change that affects only a single gene.

What does Tay-Sachs disease illustrate in population studies?

Population-level variation; notably higher prevalence in Ashkenazi Jews.

What are morphs in ball pythons?

Diversity of colored markings within the same species.

What does chronic myelogenous leukemia illustrate?

Large-scale chromosomal alterations and their health impacts.