Unit 10 Honors Bio

Alternate Generations

• Definition: A reproductive cycle in plants and some algae involving two distinct multicellular stages: the haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte.

• Key Concept: The gametophyte produces gametes (sperm and eggs), while the sporophyte produces spores through meiosis.​

Bioremediation

• Definition: The use of living organisms, primarily microbes, to remove or neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site.

• Examples: Using bacteria to clean up oil spills or degrade pesticides.​

Biotechnology

• Definition: The manipulation of living organisms or their components to develop or make useful products.

• Examples: Genetically modified crops, insulin production using bacteria.​

Chemosynthesis

• Definition: A process by which certain organisms synthesize organic compounds using energy derived from inorganic chemical reactions, rather than sunlight.

• Conversion: Carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are converted into glucose and sulfur.​

Ecosystem Services

• Definition: The benefits humans receive from ecosystems.

• Examples: Pollination by insects, water purification by wetlands, carbon sequestration by forests.​

Fertilization in Angiosperms

• Definition: The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

• Unique Aspect: In angiosperms, double fertilization occurs, resulting in the formation of both the zygote and the endosperm.​

Endotoxins vs. Exotoxins

• Endotoxins: Toxins released when certain bacteria die and their cell walls break apart.

• Exotoxins: Toxins secreted by living bacteria into their environment.​

Gametophyte

• Definition: The haploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of plants that produces gametes.​

Imperfect Fungi

• Definition: Fungi that do not have a known sexual reproductive stage.

• Examples: Penicillium, Aspergillus.​

Host

• Definition: An organism that harbors another organism (parasite), providing it with nourishment and shelter.​

Photosynthesis

• Definition: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

• Conversion: Carbon dioxide and water are converted into glucose and oxygen.​

Mycorrhiza

• Definition: Symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots.

• Key Groups: Ectomycorrhiza and arbuscular mycorrhiza.​

Parasite

• Definition: An organism that lives in or on another organism (the host) and benefits at the host's expense.​

Pollen

• Definition: The male gametophyte in seed plants, containing sperm cells.​

Pollination

• Definition: The transfer of pollen from the male part (anther) to the female part (stigma) of a flower.​

Seed

• Components:

  • Embryo: Develops into the new plant.

  • Endosperm: Provides nourishment to the developing embryo.

  • Seed Coat: Protects the seed.​

Symbiosis

• Definition: A close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms.

• Types: Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism.​

Sporophyte

• Definition: The diploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of plants that produces spores.​

Virus

• Definition: A microscopic infectious agent that requires a host cell to replicate.

• Examples: Influenza virus, HIV.​

Yeast

• Definition: A type of fungus used in baking and brewing.

• Example: Saccharomyces cerevisiae.​

🧬 Microbiology & Cell Biology

Viruses: Non-Living Status

• Reason: Viruses cannot carry out metabolic processes or reproduce independently; they require a host cell to replicate.​

Virus Structure & Infection

• Structure: Consists of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat (capsid).

• Infection Process: The virus attaches to a host cell, injects its genetic material, hijacks the host's machinery to produce new viral particles, and eventually causes the host cell to release new viruses.​

Preventing Viral Infections

• Methods: Vaccination, antiviral medications, hygiene practices, vector control.​

Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells

• Prokaryotic:

  • No nucleus.

  • Smaller size.

  • Examples: Bacteria, Archaea.

• Eukaryotic:

  • Nucleus present.

  • Larger size.

  • Examples: Plants, animals, fungi, protists.​

Domains & Kingdoms

• Prokaryotic Domains: Bacteria, Archaea.

• Eukaryotic Domain: Eukarya.