Biology Final Vocab

10% rule

10% rule

only about 10% of energy in one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level

5’ → 3’

the direction that protein synthesis starts at

abiotic

all the non-living things in an environment

ex: water, air, sunlight, rocks, and soil

adapt

To undergo changes to better fit into a particular environment or situation

adaptation

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment

adaptive radiation

one common ancestor species evolves into many diverse forms

addition mutation

A type of mutation where extra nucleotides are inserted into a DNA sequence

insertion mutation

a genetic mutation caused by a insertion in a DNA sequence that shifts the way the sequence is read

adenine

• purine (2)

• pairs with thymine

ADP

A molecule involved in energy transfer within cells, formed by the removal of a phosphate group from ATP

aerobic respiration

with oxygen

algae

Simple, typically aquatic, photosynthetic organisms that can be single-celled or multicellular

alimentary canal

The whole passage along which food passes through the body from mouth to anus, including the esophagus, stomach, and intestines

allele

different versions of genes

allopatric speciation

geographic isolation can lead to speciation

amino acid

Organic compounds that combine to form proteins and are used by cells for various functions

anaerobic respiration

without oxygen

anaphase

chromosomes are pulled apart and start to migrate to the edges of the cell

antibiotic resistance

The ability of bacteria to withstand the effects of an antibiotic

anticodon

a sequence of three nucleotides forming a unit of genetic code in a tRNA corresponding to a complementary codon in mRNA

antiparallel

Refers to the opposite orientation of the two strands in a DNA double helix, with one strand running 5' to 3' and the other 3' to 5'

archaea

• prokaryotic (no cell membrane)

• oldest species of organisms

ATP

The main energy currency of cells, providing energy for various biological processes

autosomes

non-sex cell

autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food

bacteria

• prokaryotic (no cell membrane)

• membrane posseses discyl glycerol diester lipids

• single celled

bacterial transformation

benign tumor

A non-cancerous growth of cells that does not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body

binary fission

replication of chromosome then divide in half

biological manification

step wise increase of toxins in fatty tissues

biological species concept

a species is a group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

• if members of one species do mate with members of another species, the offspring will not be fertile

biome

an area classified according to the species that live in that location

biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, including all life forms and their relationships with the environment

biotic

all the living things in an environment

ex: fish, turtle, plants, and phytoplankton

biotic potential

The maximum reproductive capacity of an organism under optimal environmental conditions

blood type

• discovered by Karl Landsteiner

• the four types of human blood are based on the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells

• types A, B, O, AB

  A: |Ai or |A|

  B: |Bi or |B|

  O: ii

• AB: |A|B

boom and bust cycle

A pattern of population growth in which periods of rapid growth are followed by sudden declines

bottleneck effect

in which a population is reduced in size due to natural disasters, habitat loss, or overhunting

cancer

cells that are no longer under control by the body system

• overriding stop-and-go lights

• more likely when both chromosomes are mutated

carrying capacity

the number of organisms that a place can support without environmental degradation

catalyze

To speed up a chemical reaction, often by the action of an enzyme

cell cycle

interphase, G1 phase, S phase, G2 phase, M phase, mitosis, cytokinesis

cell cycle checkpoint

Mechanisms in the cell cycle that ensure each stage is completed accurately before moving on to the next stage

cell division

why do they divide?

1. reproduction of unicellular organisms

2. repair of multicellular organisms

3. to replace worn out cells'

4. growth of multicellular organisms

5. when the surface area to volume ratio is too low

• dependent on the cell’s surface area to volume ratio

cell plate

• a structure that forms when the cytoplasm of a plant cell divides

centrioles

Cylindrical cell structures involved in the process of cell division, typically found in animal cells

centromere

specialized microtubuals where the chromosomes line up during division

metastasis

the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer

microevolution

changes in the frequency of a gene in a population

mechanisms:

1. natural selection

2. mutation

3. gene flow

4. genetic drift

5. non-random mating

mitochondria

Organelles known as the powerhouses of the cell, where cellular respiration occurs to produce ATP

mitosis

a more complicated process that evenly divides the genetic material in the nucleus for two new cells

monosaccharides

The simplest form of carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, fructose), which cannot be hydrolyzed to smaller units

mRNA

• carries the code for making a protein to the ribosome

• created in the nucleus

mutation

• a change in the DNA sequence during DNA replication

• Base Substitution or Deletion

• can result in change in the amino acid sequence so protein structure

mutualism

both species benefit

natural selection

niche

an organism’s role or job within its habitat

nitrogenous base

a molecule that contains nitrogen and has the chemical properties of a base

• adenine

• guanine

• thymine

• cytosine

nonrandom mating

Mating that has not occurred due to chance and that is influenced by phenotypic preferences

nucleic acid

Biomolecules, including DNA and RNA, that are essential for all known forms of life

nucleotide

the basic building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

nucleus

A membrane-bound organelle in eukaryotic cells that contains genetic material

omnivores

Organisms that eat both plant and animal materials

organism

Any individual living entity that can act independently and conduct the functions of life

overshoot

When a population exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment

parasitism

one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it

pedigree

another way to chart inheritance

• shows the family line in terms of squares, circles, with shaded and unshaded variants

phenotype

the genes that appear

phenotype ratio

The ratio of different phenotypes in the offspring from a genetic cross

phosphate

An inorganic chemical and a salt-forming anion of phosphoric acid. Important in energy transfer (e.g., ATP)

photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water

phylogenetic tree

a diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor

phylogeny

the representation of the evolutionary history and relationships between groups of organisms

pleiotropy

the production of a single gene of two or more apparently unrelated effects

polygenic inheritance

determined by more than one gene

ex: skin color, hair color

polypeptide

A polymer of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds

population

group of one species living together in one area

population growth

The increase in the number of individuals in a population

predation

one organism uses another organism as a resource. one way relationship. (prey vs predator)

predator-prey

A relationship where one organism (the predator) feeds on another organism (the prey)

primary succession

a type of ecological succession where a new area of barren land is populated by a group of species for the first time

• starts with things like lichens

primase

priming during DNA replication

producers

Organisms that produce organic compounds from carbon dioxide through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis (e.g., plants, algae)

prokaryotes

a single celled organism that does not have a nucleus with a membrane nor specialized organelles

• bacteria, archaea

promoter

a region of DNA where RNA polymerase begins to transcribe a gene

prophase

• sister chromatids appear

• spindle fibers form

• chromosomes migrate to spindle fibers

• nucleus disassembles

protein

Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues, essential for all living organisms

protein synthesis

DNA → mRNA → Protein

• Transcription: rewriting DNA into mRNA

• Translation: mRNA leaves nucleus and moves into the cytoplasm

protista

a kingdom consisting of singled celled (mostly) organisims that are neither plants nor animals nor fungi

punnett square

A diagram used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations in genetic crosses

purines

• double ringed

• adenine and guanine

pyrimidines

• single ringed

• thymine and cytosine

recessive

• overpowered by the dominant gene

• expressed only when the genotype is homozygous (aa)

reproductive isolation

the inability of a species to breed successfully with related species due to geographical, behavioral, physiological, or genetic barriers

reverse transcriptase

An enzyme used by retroviruses to transcribe their RNA into DNA

ribosomes

Molecular machines that synthesize proteins by translating messenger RNA (mRNA)

chromatids

one of the two identical halves of a chromosome that has been replicated in preparation for cell division

chromatin

genetic material and histones in long strands

chromosomes

form of genetic material during and right before cell division

climax community

A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time