Exam Study Notes

RNA

  • Nucleic acid molecule for genetic information transmission and protein synthesis.
  • Ribosomal RNA (rRNA): Guides mRNA translation into protein; used as a molecular clock.
  • Messenger RNA (mRNA): Carries genetic information from nucleus to cytoplasm for protein synthesis.

Nucleotides

  • Monomer forming DNA with a phosphate group, sugar, and nitrogen base.

Replication

  • Process by which DNA is copied.

Transcription

  • Copying a DNA nucleotide sequence to form a complementary mRNA strand.

Translation

  • mRNA decoding process resulting in protein production.

Genetic Engineering

  • Process of changing an organism's DNA to give new traits.
  • May reduce genetic diversity.

Biotechnology

  • Use and application of living things and biological processes.

Stem Cell

  • Cell that divides for long periods, remaining undifferentiated.

Theory of Evolution

  • Supported by the fossil record, comparative anatomy (homologous structures), comparative embryology, biogeography, and molecular biology.
  • Contributors: Darwin, Lamarck, Lyell, Malthus, Mendel, and Wallace.

Natural Selection

  • Requires competition for food, overproduction of offspring, heredity of traits, and variation within a species.

Evolutionary Change Mechanisms

  • Include gene flow, genetic drift, and nonrandom mating.
    • Gene flow: Introduces genes from another population.
    • Genetic drift: Affects trait frequency in a population over time.
    • Nonrandom mating: Only certain traits passed on.

Genetic Variation

  • Mutation: Introduces new traits and genes.
  • Recombination: Offspring differ from parents by combining alleles during sexual reproduction.