Chapter 1: Biology and the Tree of Life - pt.3

Life process information

Chromosome theory of inheritance proposed by Sutton and Boveri (1902)

- PATTERN component → all cells contain genetic information encoded i genes which are located in chromosomes

chromosomes → where DNA is found
DNA → genetic information in a cells
- double-stranded helix
- stored genetic information
- different in every organism

- PROCESS component → how information is transmitted from one generation of cells to another

DNA → RNA → Protein

Differences in DNA lead to differences in proteins which impact the characteristics of organisms

Life requires energy

- Organisms have 2 fundamental nutritional need

1) acquire chemical energy in the form of ATP

2) Carbon-based molecules needed to build complex molecules

- How organisms acquire energy has contributed to the diversification of life

Tree of Life

- The first tree of life

carl Woese goal to understand phylogeny (genealogical relationship)
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
- found in all organisms
- made up of 4 ribonucleotides (A, G, U and C)
- trait that can change during the course of evolution
rRNA sequence would be similar in closely related organisms
modern trees of life include dates set on all different genetic material

Speciation = natural selection caused population of one species diverge and form new species

The THREE domains in life

Eukaryotes vs. Prokaryotes

- Eukaryotes have a membrane-bound nucleus, prokaryotes do not

eukaryotes are larger
eukaryotes have organelles
DNA organization
Taxonomy
- The description, identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms
- Carl Linnaeus
father of taxonomy
classify by similarities
three groups, animals, plants, minerals
Binomial nomenclature
Genus - 1st word, always capitalized
species - 2nd word, lowercase