Genetics - Chapter 1

molecular genetics

biochemical focus, using recombinant DNA technology to identify, isolate and produce large numbers of genes that can be studied in the laboratory

The simplest type of variation in a genome sequence is a single nucleotide change called a(n) ______

SNP

restrictive emigration laws

based on the idea that high levels of unemployment, poverty, and crime among certain groups have genetic causes

A set of genetic markers located close together on a single _______ is called a haplotype.

Chromosome

New technology has made it possible to screen an individual's entire genome, instead of testing for one genetic disorder at a time. This technology uses ________ that carry DNA from the entire human genome.

DNA Microarrays

In the mid-twentieth century, researchers discovered that genes are made of _______ and that this molecule is part of cellular structures known as _________.

DNA; Chromosomes

Genes are precisely copied during the process of DNA replication and never undergo any change.

False

Genes, the fundamental unit of heredity, are composed of amino acid subunits and carried on chromosomes.

False

Genetic modification of immune cells has not been shown to be an effective leukemia treatment.

False

Genetics is defined as the examination of any observable trait, such as cystic fibrosis.

False

Hereditarianism is the study of how genetics and the environment impact observable human traits.

False

In the years after the completion of the human genome project, genome sequencing revealed surprisingly little amount of variation in the sequence and arrangement of nucleotides in humans.

False

Mendel's experiments confirmed that traits are blended when passed from parent to offspring.

False

Mendel's pea plant experiments showed that traits are blended in the offspring.

False

The amino acid sequence of a protein determines the DNA sequence of a gene.

False

The goal of basic research is to find a commercially viable product, such as a new drug.

False

The science of eugenics proved that conditions such as poverty are heritable traits.

False

The separation of genes during egg and sperm formation and the reunion of genes at fertilization is explained by mitosis.

False

What new field dependent on stem cell based therapies offers the possibility of being able to treat disorders such as heart disease, diabetes, and other degenerative conditions.

Regenerative medicine

The union of research and medicine that seeks to quickly translate research findings into methods for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases is called _______

Translational medicine

A haplotype is a set of genetic markers located close together on a single chromosome or chromosome region.

True

Biotechnology can be defined as the use of genetically modified living organisms − or their parts − to create new products.

True

Distinguishing genetic characteristics that are passed from parents to offspring are known as traits.

True

Gregor Mendel is considered the "founder of genetics" due to his pioneering experiments on the inheritance of traits in pea plants.

True

Immunotherapy involves the manipulation of the immune system to target and destroy cancer cells in the body.

True

In some societies, the birth of a deformed child is regarded as a sign of impending war or famine.

True

Mendel concluded that traits are passed from one generation to the next by "factors" which we now call genes.

True

Mendel discovered that organisms contain two copies of each gene, only one of which is passed onto the offspring via the eggs and sperm.

True

Mendel proposed that two copies of a gene separate from each other during the formation of a sperm and an egg.

True

Mendel's experiments on pea plants are an example of transmission genetics.

True

Normal white blood cells (called B cells) and cancerous B cells that cause leukemia both carry a unique surface protein called CD-19.

True

The association of a gene with a specific genetic condition allows for genetic tests to be developed.

True

The goal of the Human Genome Project was to sequence and map the human genome.

True

The human genome carries approximately 20,000 genes.

True

Understanding the science of genetics can help us, as citizens, make informed choices regarding products developed through biotechnology.

True

Which research project is an example of applied research? a. Biogen Idec is currently researching a BACE protein inhibitor as a potential drug therapy for Alzheimer's Disease. b. The National Center for Atmospheric Research studies how Earth reacts to various weather-changing factors, such as greenhouse gases. c. Barbara McClintock, a famous American scientist, studied how chromosomes behave during reproduction in maize (corn). d. Gregor Mendel studied the transmission of traits through multiple generations of pea plants. e. Researchers at Tufts University are studying the mechanisms of muscle growth.

a. Biogen Idec is currently researching a BACE protein inhibitor as a potential drug therapy for Alzheimer's Disease.

What did scientists learn through data gained from the Human Genome Project? a. Genome sequences and variations can be applied to diagnose and treat diseases using translational medicine. b. Single nucleotide differences called haplotypes are responsible for all of the genetic variation person to person. c. The human genome contains 20,000 base pairs of DNA. d. Haplotypes only exist in babies born via in vitro fertilization. e. The 3 billion genes in the human genome are identical in all individuals.

a. Genome sequences and variations can be applied to diagnose and treat diseases using translational medicine.

The main purpose of preparing karyotypes is to ____.​ a. diagnose or rule out certain genetic disorders b. determine gender c. prepare for gene extractions d. separate DNA into its component parts e. determine which genes are on which chromosomes

a. diagnose or rule out certain genetic disorders

When a gene ________, it undergoes changes to its DNA sequence, which can result in the production of an altered gene product. a. mutates b. is expressed c. replicates d. folds e. becomes a protein

a. mutates

Genetics is the science of ________. a. the inheritance of traits from parent to offspring b. politics and society c. the evolution of Homo sapiens d. how proteins encode genes e. the biotechnology industry

a. the inheritance of traits from parent to offspring

The "recombining" property of genes refers to their ability to ____.​ a. mutate b. move from one chromosome to another c. break apart and then reassemble d. be turned on and off e. repair of a defect (mutation) in a gene

b. move from one chromosome to another

Carrie Buck is significant in the history of genetics because she ____.​ a. was sterilized after the U.S. Supreme Court determined she was feebleminded b. is the author of the first biography of Gregor Mendel c. discovered how to genetically modify corn to be resistant to herbicides d. was a well-known advocate for eugenics e. became the first woman geneticist

a. was sterilized after the U.S. Supreme Court determined she was feebleminded

The decline of the eugenics movement in the U.S. in the early 20th century resulted from ____.​ a. ​its misuse for social and political purposes by the Nazis b. social outrage at the number of deaths caused by botched sterilizations c. ​the ability to manipulate gene expression d. breakthroughs in genetic technology e. violent protests by the medical community

a. ​its misuse for social and political purposes by the Nazis

pedigree analysis

an indirect method of studying the inheritance of traits in humans by reconstructing inheritance patterns associated with a trait as it passes through several generations of a family tree

Trait

any observable property such as eye or hair color, etc. of an organism

According to Mendel, the fusion of egg and sperm during fertilization results in the ________. a. blending of parental traits b. formation of a new gene pair for all genes in the offspring c. destruction of one gene in each gene pair inherited from the parents d. doubling of the amount of DNA with each new generation e. separation of chromosomes during the process of meiosis

b. formation of a new gene pair for all genes in the offspring

When using immunotherapy to target leukemia cells, scientists first need to ________. a. genetically reprogram the patient's liver cells to recognize and destroy cancerous cells b. genetically reprogram the patient's immune cells to recognize and destroy cancerous cells c. stop all translational medicine treatment d. genetically reprogram the patient's immune cells to recognize healthy B cells e. determine whether or not immunotherapy will be successful in young patients

b. genetically reprogram the patient's immune cells to recognize and destroy cancerous cells

Genetics is defined as the scientific study of ____. a. ​cell structure b. heredity c. chromosome structure d. diseases e. DNA

b. heredity

Eugenics ____.​ a. ​was based on faulty karyotyping and DNA analysis b. is a dubious method for improving the human species through selective breeding c. had major social ramifications in Germany but is largely dismissed in the United States d. ​has been scientifically tested and shown to be a valid theory e. assumes that human traits are much more influenced by environment than by genes

b. is a dubious method for improving the human species through selective breeding

The DNA components adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine are examples of ____. a. ribosomes b. ​bases c. ​sugars d. ​phosphates e. genes

b. ​bases

What is the greatest risk factor for cancer?​ a. family history b. diet c. age d. environmental toxins e. physical inactivity

c. age

Before Mendel, most people would have predicted that a cross of a red rose with a yellow rose would produce ____.​ a. all yellow roses b. about half yellow roses and half red roses c. all orange roses d. ​all red roses e. about three-fourths red roses and one-fourth yellow roses

c. all orange roses

What Mendel called "factors," we now call ____.​ a. DNA b. nucleotides c. genes d. bases e. chromosomes

c. genes

The methods of _____ have had the greatest impact on human genetics in recent decades.​ a. cytogenetics b. genomics c. translational medicine d. molecular genetics e. transmission genetics

c. translational medicine

biotechnology

commercial use of genetically modified organisms or their products

Using the technology of ________, it is possible to screen an individual's entire genome at once, instead of one gene at a time. a. in vitro fertilization b. single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sequencing c. haplotype analysis d. DNA microarrays (DNA chips) e. induced pluripotent stem cells

d. DNA microarrays (DNA chips)

During the eugenics movement, ________. a. Francis Galton disproved the theory of hereditarianism b. Charles Darwin discovered the hereditary factors that control human intelligence c. Gregor Mendel determined that human traits are affected by genetic and environmental influences d. Francis Galton neglected to recognize environmental influences on human traits e. Charles Darwin disproved the theory of blended traits

d. Francis Galton neglected to recognize environmental influences on human traits

What did Mendel conclude based on his experiments with pea plants? a. "Factors," now known as proteins, control the transmission of traits from parent to offspring. b. Genes exist in pairs, and parents pass both of these gene copies onto their offspring. c. Genes exist singly, and parents pass each of their genes onto their offspring. d. Genes exist in pairs, and parents pass one copy of each gene onto their offspring. e. All traits are blended when passed from parent to offspring.

d. Genes exist in pairs, and parents pass one copy of each gene onto their offspring.

Which example best illustrates the use of biotechnology? a. After his successful racing career, the racehorse Seabiscuit was in high demand as a stud, and sired over 100 foals. b. A baby born in the United States has a 3% chance of inheriting a genetic condition from his or her parents. c. Stem cells give rise to all tissue types in the developing fetus. d. Goats are engineered to produce the human protein tPA in their milk, which can be used to dissolve blood clots in human patients. e. Genetic variation from person to person can be attributed to single nucleotide polymorphisms.

d. Goats are engineered to produce the human protein tPA in their milk, which can be used to dissolve blood clots in human patients.

What is an example of basic research?​ a. Developing a new diagnostic test b. Developing a new drug to treat diabetes c. Synthesizing proteins for treating disease d. Learning how plants turn carbon dioxide into sugar e. Manufacturing a vaccine

d. Learning how plants turn carbon dioxide into sugar

Which product of biotechnology might raise social and/or ethical issues? a. Overfishing of Atlantic Cod in the Gulf of Maine. b. The safety of milk from organic dairy farms. c. Air pollution and climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels. d. The safety of corn that is engineered to be resistant to a specific pest, the European corn borer. e. Newborn screening for the genetic condition PKU, which can be managed with diet modifications.

d. The safety of corn that is engineered to be resistant to a specific pest, the European corn borer.

The nucleotide sequence encoded in a gene defines the ____ that make up proteins.​ a. polypeptides b. phosphate groups​ c. ribosomes d. amino acids e. haplotypes

d. amino acids

Gregor Mendel ____.​ a. demonstrated that traits carried by parents are "blended" in their offspring b. reasoned that each parent carries one gene for a specific trait c. cross-bred thirty different species of pea plants over a span of fifty years d. claimed that each individual carries a pair of "factors" for a given trait e. discovered the structure of DNA

d. claimed that each individual carries a pair of "factors" for a given trait

Chromosomal disorders resulting from abnormal numbers of chromosomes can be diagnosed using the tools of ________. a. gene therapy b. population genetics c. pedigree analysis d. cytogenetics e. transmission genetics

d. cytogenetics

The structure of a DNA molecule can be described as a ________. a. single stranded helical molecule, composed of four different nucleotides b. double stranded helical molecule, composed of five different nucleotides c. double stranded helical molecule, composed of different amino acids d. double stranded helical molecule, composed of four different nucleotides e. single stranded helical molecule, composed of five different nucleotides

d. double stranded helical molecule, composed of four different nucleotides

IVF

fusion of a sperm and egg in a laboratory dish which is later transferred as a developing embryo to the womb of the mother

Gene therapy can best be described as the ____. a. ​cloning of genes to produce and purify therapeutically useful proteins b. ​insertion of human genes into other organisms c. mapping of all human genetic information d. insertion of normal genes to act in place of mutant genes e. elimination of a defect (mutation) in a gene

d. insertion of normal genes to act in place of mutant genes

The immune system ____. a. plays no role in fighting cancer​ b. ​works by turning off specific genes in an individual's DNA c. ​is highly resistant to genetic modification d. works by attacking anything recognized as foreign e. often accelerates development of malignant cancers

d. works by attacking anything recognized as foreign

Induced pluripotent stem cells are ____​ a. grown in the lab to produce clones b. not used for human genetic research c. isolated from embryos d. ​produced from normal body cells e. a major cause of cancer

d. ​produced from normal body cells

Hereditarianism is the idea that all human traits are ____.​ a. immutable from generation to generation b. ​partly influenced by environment c. influenced equally by genes and environment d. traceable to our earliest ancestors e. determined only by genes

e. determined only by genes

Mendel's genetics experiments were pioneering because ________. a. he was the first to prove that traits are blended when passed from parents to offspring b. he discovered chromosomes c. he was the first to understand how pea plants grow d. his conclusions were only partially valid scientifically e. he was the first to understand how offspring inherit traits from the parents

e. he was the first to understand how offspring inherit traits from the parents

The social ramifications of the eugenics movement included ________. a. the relaxing of immigration restrictions for Asian and European peoples b. the recognition by the United States Supreme Court that eugenics was not based on reliable scientific evidence c. the discovery of the genetic basis for feeblemindedness d. the persecution of Irish by the Americans e. involuntary sterilization of individuals deemed to be feebleminded

e. involuntary sterilization of individuals deemed to be feebleminded

The development and use of ____ ushered in the era of genomics when geneticists began planning ways to sequence the 3.2 billion nucleotides in the human genome.​ a. karyotypes b. transmission genetics c. ​the electron microscope d. cytogenetics e. recombinant DNA technology

e. recombinant DNA technology

GWAS

investigation and evaluation of variation across an entire genome, which looks for linkages (associations) between variations in the DNA sequence and a region coding for a specific phenotype

cytogenetics

microscopic investigation of the organization and arrangement of genes and chromosomes

hereditarianism

mistaken idea that traits (and hence genes) are determined solely by genetic inheritance, ignoring the epigenetic contribution of the environment

What has been used for over 30 years to produce human insulin in bacteria and other host cells for the treatment of diabetes?

recombinant DNA technology

Genetics

scientific study of heredity

karyotype

standardized arrangement of a set of chromosomes organized by size, shape and other characteristics used to diagnose or rule out genetic disorders

transmission genetics

study of how traits and therefore genes, are passed from parents to offspring

Biotechnology

the commercial application of genetic knowledge

eugenics

uses selective breeding to improve the human species

SNP

variation limited to a single nucleotide pair among individuals in a population or species