Genetics

What is the order of events in the normal pathway by which growth factors stimulate cell division?

1. A growth factor binds to a specific receptor on the surface of a cell. 2. A signal transduction pathway activates intracellular proteins to amplify the signal. 3. Genes coding for proteins that control cell division are activated.

Four types of genetic changes that can convert a proto-oncogene to an oncogene are:

1. Missense mutations 2. Gene amplification 3. Chromosomal translocations 4. Viral integration

Considering a diploid cell, how many copies of agene already present in the genome would be present immediately following gene addition (assume the cell has not progressed through the cell cycle)?

3; a diploid cell would have two copies of a gene, plus the cloned copy integrated into the genome by nonhomologous recombination.

If a correlation coefficient suggests a positive correlation between DNA methylation and disease severity, then what is some possible explanations?

An environmental agent produced both DNA methylation and the disease independently, DNA methylation causes the disease, The disease leads to changes in DNA methylation.

To stimulate the growth of epidermal cells, such a skins cells, what event occurs first?

An epidermal growth factor, EGF, binds to a receptor on the surface of a skin cell.

How can microorganisms be used in biological control of plant disease and insect pests?

By producing a toxin that inhibits pathogenic microorganisms or insects -AND- by competing with pathogenic strains for nutrients or space.

What research areas have knockout mice been useful?

Cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and inherited diseases.

Using stem cells to repair joints damaged by injury or arthritis would be useful in what tissue type?

Cartilage

Adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine are nitrogen-containing bases found in _____.

DNA

What is the genetic material of all living organisms composed of?

DNA

What underlies the majority of the genetic variation among individuals within a population?

Differences in the nucleotide sequence of DNA.

What is the difference between hypothesis testing and discovery-based science?

Discovery-based science does not require a preconceived hypothesis.

True or False: Reproductive cloning can only occur as a results of laboratory manipulations.

False

For ES or EG cells to be used in transplantation, researchers must be able to cause them to differentiate into the appropriate type of tissue. This process is thought to directly involve _____.

Hormones and growth factors, Properties of neighboring cells, Factors internal to the stem cells.

How are genes passed from parents to offspring?

In sperm and egg cells.

The possibility of human cloning raises many ethical questions. Some people feel it could be a new way to offer _____ couples a chance at reproduction. Others are concerned that human cloning is _____ wrong.

Infertile; ethically

What cells are gametes?

Sperm and Egg

What component of bone marrow is useful to patients with certain types of cancers?

Stem cells

In one study of inherited breast cancer, there was a substitution of glycine for cysteine at position 64 in the tumor-suppressor protein BRCA1. This mutation led to cancer development because _____.

The activity of the tumor-suppressor protein was reduced, so it was no longer able to inhibit cell growth.

What is the focus of molecular genetics?

The biochemical structure and function of DNA.

What is the focus of population genetics?

The relationship between genetics variation and an organism's environment.

How do alleles differ from one another?

They have slightly different DNA sequences.

A cloned gene becoming integrated into the genome by nonhomologous recombination is called gene _____.

addition

Transgenic plants can express _____ RNA that silences a gene involved in fruit softening, thereby improving fruit storage.

antisense

A trait that affects the way an organism responds to its environment is called a(n) _____ trait.

behavioral

The use of living organisms or their products to alleviate plant disease is called

biological control

The use of living organisms or the materials they produce in the development of goods or processes that are beneficial to humans is called

biotechnology

Stem cells could be implanted into the _____ to treat conditions such Parkinson's disease.

brain

The plants that are used to make what type of oil have been altered with regard to oil composition?

canola

biotechnology methods that produce two or more genetically identical individuals are referred to as reproductive _____.

cloning

Gene knockins are used to study the effects of _____.

consistent levels of gene expression

Scientists are manly interested in a stem cells to help them understand basic genetic mechanisms that underlie the process of _____, and for their potential to treat human _____.

development; diseases

For ES and EG cells to be used in transplantation, researchers have to know to cause the cells to _____ into appropriate type of tissue.

differentiate

When a stem cell divides, daughters can ____ into a specialized cell type or remain an _____ stem cell.

differentiate; undifferentiated

An oncogenic allele typically shows a _____ pattern of inheritance due to a gain-of-function mutation in a proto-oncogene.

dominant

Pluripotent stem cells found in the gonads during the early fetal stage of development are called ____ cells.

embryonic germ

The early mammalian embryo contains _____ _____ cells, which are pluripotent cells found in the inner cell mass of a blastocyst.

embryonic stem

An organism's trait can be affected by its gens and also by its _____.

environment

A carcinogen is _____.

environmental agent that causes cancer.

Altering the sequence of a gene, such as with the CRISPR-Cas system, is known as _____.

gene modification

The term that describes all of the DNA found in all of an organism's chromosome is _____.

genome

Germ-line cells found in the gonads during early fetal development are called embryonic _____ cells, and are said to be _____.

germ, pluripotent

The larger of two fish has grown faster and larger due to the incorporation of a _____ - factor regulating gene from another salmon species.

growth

An individual who is heterozygous for a defect in a tumor-suppressor gene _____.

has inherited an increased susceptibility to develop cancer

Gene knockout allows researchers to study _____.

how the loss of normal gene function affects an organism

Many countries have a ban on ____ cloning, while others permit limited research in this area.

human

A gene _____ is a gene _____ in which a gene of interest has been added to a particular site in the mouse genome

knockin; addition

In a type of gene replacement called gene _____, a cloned gene is rendered inactive and replaces a normal gene at its chromosomal location.

knockout

Because humans share many genes with mice, gene _____ research can be very useful in the study of human _____.

knockout; diseases

Because genetics is a quantitative science, researchers often rely on _____ methods to analyze the date and make conclusions.

mathematical

A _____ cancer cell can migrate to another part of the body and cause secondary tumors.

metastasic

What organisms are commonly used to benefit humans via the production of medicines, food fermentation, biological control, and bioremediation?

microorganisms

A strain of mice engineered to carry a mutation that is analogous to a disease-causing mutation in a human gene is called a mouse _____.

model

The image is depicting organisms that researchers often use in the laboratory. These are called _____ organisms.

model

The process of gene _____ aims to alter the sequence of a gene.

modification

To produce mouse models for human diseases a missense mutation can be introduction into a specific gene through CRISPR-Cas technology. This is an example of gene _____.

modification

To study how the loss of normal gene function affects the phenotype of a mouse, CRISPR-Cas technology can be used to introduce a deletion into a specific mouse gene. This process is called gene _____.

modification

Genetic variation can be attributed to gene _____ that affect the sequence of a single gene or alterations in the structure or total number of _____.

modification; chromosomes

A trait that affects the appearance, form, and structure of an organism is called a(n) _____ trait.

morphological

Mice have been developed with genetic modifications that make them develop symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. These mice are examples of

mouse model

Most carcinogens, such as UV light and specific chemicals in cigarette smoke, are _____ that promote genetic changes in somatic cells.

mutagens

An allele that improves the ability of individuals to survive and reproduce may become more prevalent in future generations due to _____ _____.

natural selection

Microorganisms can exert biological control against plant pathogens or insects by competing with pathogens for _____ or space or producing a _____ that inhibits pathogens or insects.

nutrients; toxin

Tests reveal that Dolly was "genetically _____" than her actual age indicated. This is likely due, in part, to her shorter _____.

older; telomeres

What gene plays a significant role in detecting DNA damage in a cell?

p53

Incorporation of a growth hormone-regulation gene and promotor from other species produced a genetically modified _____ that can grow year round instead of only during specific seasons.

salmon

A growth factor is a _____.

signaling molecule that can stimulate cells throughout the organism's body to divide.

In a multicellular organism, cells that are not directly involved in sexual reproduction are called _____ cells.

somatic

The cells that construct our bodies from a fertilized eggs are called _____ cells.

stem

An organism's genome consists of _____.

the DNA found in all of its chromosomes.

Embryonic stem cells are found in ____.

the blastocyst

When a structural gene is expressed, its DNA sequence is _____ into RNA, which is then _____ to produce a polypeptide.

transcribed; translated

Despite concerns about the proliferation of resistant insects and endangerment of native species, many farmers are embracing _____ crops.

transgenic

A statistically significant correlation coefficient means that _____.

two variables have a true association

Describe a gene.

A unit of heredity, A segment of DNA that influences one or more traits of an organism, A segment of DNA that produces a functional product.

Where are most EG cells obtained from?

Aborted fetuses

What are some problems exhibited by cloned mice.

Cloned mice die at a younger age than their naturally bred coutnerparts; and many genes are not expressed normally in cloned mice.

What are the common uses of microorganisms that fall under the application category of biological control?

Control of plant diseases, insect pests, and weeds, Prevention of frost formation, Symbiotic nitrogen fixation

When a proto-oncogene is converted to an oncogene, what pattern of inheritance is usually observed for the mutated allele?

Dominant.

Some people think that although _____ and EG cells come from embryos left over from in vitro fertilization or aborted fetuses, it is still acceptable to use them from research or to treat _____, since they are not going to become living individuals.

ES; diseases

What are the perceived risks of transgenic plants in agriculture?

Endangerment of native species, Proliferation of resistant insects, Killing of the pollinators of native species.

True or False: A pair of homologous chromosomes always contains identical alleles of the same genes.

False; The chromosomes in a homologous pair contain the same genes, but the alleles they carry may or may not be identical to one another.

True or False: All gene mutations that have an effect on a cell or organism alter the structure and function of the protein encoded by the gene.

False; they also change the expression of a protein.

What are some genetic alterations that may include genetic variation?

Gene mutations, Changes in chromosome number, Changes in chromosome structure.

What are some common characteristics of stem cells?

Have the capacity to divide, can differentiate into one or more specialized cell types

What is the main function of a cell's genetic material?

It encodes proteins.

In biotechnology, what is used to benefit humans?

Materials produced by living organisms, and living organisms.

What event activates progression through the cell cycle?

Phosphorylation of Rb protein so that it no longer binds to transcription factor E2F.

If a plant normally produces red flowers and a loss-of -function mutation within a certain gene results in production of white flowers, what is the role of the functional gene?

Production of red flowers.

What are some possible fates for daughter cells produced by the division of a stem cell?

Remain an undifferentiated stem

Recombinant DNA technology has been used to develop a bacterial stain that produces _____ inhibitor to treat hypertension

Renin

What are the roles of organic molecules in cells?

They provide energy for cellular processes and they are building blocks for the synthesis of larger molecules.

What field of genetics focuses on how genes are passed on from parents to offspring?

Transmission genetics.

Cancer can result from the inactivation of which type of gene?

Tumor-suppressor gene

Biological control is the _____.

Use of living organisms or their products to alleviate plant diseases

A trait that affects the ability of an organism to function is called a(n) _____ trait.

physiological

Tissue _____ _____ is a drug synthesized from bacteria through recombinant DNA technology, and used to treat heart attacks.

plasminogen activator

The complete set of proteins that a cell makes at a given time is called its _____.

proteome

A normal, nonmutated gene that has the potential to become an oncogene is called ____ -oncogene

proto

What is evolution?

Change in the genetic makeup of a population from one generation to the next.