Genetics in Eukaryotes

What is the basic structures of mammalian eukaryotic cells

More elaborate structures (organelles, compartments, membranes) 

• Nucleolus, nuclear envelope, mitochondria, nucleus, Golgi apparatus, microtubules 

Define regulatory proteins

Proteins that regulate other proteins’ production/synthesis by binding to regulatory sequences  

Coding region -> mRNA -> protein -> binds to regulatory sequence -> affects protein production 

Define genome

all of the genetic makeup of an organism (all of the DNA) 

• The entire DNA sequence of an organism 

Define prokaryote

singled cell organism that can live independently and have no organelles or nucleus (free floating DNA) 

Define eukaryote

complex cell that contains organelles, cytoskeleton, and has the ability to phagocytose things

Gene transcription

process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA for the purpose of gene expression.

What are key differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Prokaryotes	Eukaryotes
Live independently   No nuclear compartment  No nucleus, mitochondria  Cell wall outside plasma membrane   Can have a flagella	More elaborate structures (compartments)  DNA in nucleus  Complex cytoskeleton (provide strength, shape, and movement)  Ability to phagocytose (engulf other cells or organisms)

How are genomes altered over time

DNA innovation: four possible ways (balance between adding and losing genes) 

1. Intragenic mutations = mutations (random errors, mainly during replication) within a gene 

Ex: point mutations 

2. Gene duplication = creates 2 identical genes in one cell 

Ex: 2 copies of the same gene instead of just one 

3. Segment shuffling = rejoining broken genes  

Ex: translocation (genes switching places within the same two alleles) 

4. Horizontal transfer = cross-genome transfer 

Ex: Genes switched between 2 different organisms 

What is a conserved region?

regulatory, coding, and other functional DNA 

What is a nonconserved region

DNA not critical for function