AQA Biology A-level: The Control of Gene Expression

Flashcards based on the key concepts from the course notes on The Control of Gene Expression.

What is a mutation?

A mutation is a change in the sequence of nucleotides in DNA molecules.

What are the main types of mutations?

Insertion/deletion mutations, duplication, inversion, and translocation.

What causes gene mutations?

Gene mutations can arise spontaneously during DNA replication or be caused by mutagenic agents such as chemical mutagens and ionizing radiation.

What is the role of stem cells?

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can divide to give rise to specialized cell types.

What are totipotent stem cells?

Totipotent stem cells can differentiate into any cell type in the body, including extra embryonic cells.

What is epigenetics?

Epigenetics involves heritable changes in gene function without changes to the base sequence of DNA.

What does DNA methylation do?

DNA methylation suppresses gene transcription by adding methyl groups to DNA.

What are proto-oncogenes?

Proto-oncogenes stimulate cells to divide and can cause cancer if mutated.

What is the difference between benign and malignant tumors?

Benign tumors grow slowly and do not spread, whereas malignant tumors grow rapidly and can spread to nearby cells.

What is the Human Genome Project?

The Human Genome Project is an international project that determined the sequence of bases of the human genome.

What is recombinant DNA technology?

Recombinant DNA technology involves manipulating DNA to create new genetic combinations.

What is PCR and its purpose?

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA by making millions of copies of a given DNA sample.

What is genetic fingerprinting?

Genetic fingerprinting is a technique that detects differences in people's DNA using variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs).

What is gel electrophoresis used for?

Gel electrophoresis is a process used to separate DNA fragments and proteins according to their size.