ANTH 240 Exam 2
What is epigenetics?
The science for studying heritable changes of DNA that regulate gene expression and do not involving changes in DNA sequence.
How strong is the association between complex traits and genotype
weak
What are single nucleotide polymorphisms?
A variation in DNA sequence occurs in a population at a single base in the genome that differs between individuals or between chromosomes in an individual
How are primates classified in the linean system.
Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Primates, Hominidae, Homo, sapiens
What are the two mechanisms of epigenetic change?
DNA methylation and Histone modification
What is a tarsier and why is it taxonomically special?
Mix of Strep and Hap traits
What are the variables that influence the connection between complex traits and genotype?
Regulatory variation, Polygenic effects, Gene-gene interactions, Gene-environment interactions, Rare variants, Epigenetic mechanisms
Describe the process of GWAS studies - how are they constructed?
SNPs are used as markers, phenotype control group and case group, genotype by array of SNPs, calculate stats, then mapping
What is ecology?
Study of interrelationships of organisms with each other and their physical environment
What are some factors that lead to epigenetic marks and methylation difference between individuals and populations?
chromatin packing, modifications to histone tails, CpG methylation
Name traits that characterize primates
generalized body plan, grasping hands, flattened nails, stereoscopic vision, generalized teeth, petrosal bulla, and enclosed eyes
What is the difference between heterochromatin and euchromatin?
heterochromatin is closed and densely packed, euchromatin is open and loosely packed
What are the infraorders of Strepsirhini?
lemuriformes (lemurs and lorises)
How does the modification of histone protein tails affect transcription/gene expression?
modified histone tails become "marks" that other proteins read - affecting gene regulation
Where do primates live?
south america, south africa, south asia
What are the two major suborders of primates?
strepsirhini and haplorhini
What are the infraorders of Haplorhini?
tarsiiformes (tarsiers), platyrrhini (new world primates), catarrhini (old world primates)
How are SNPs used in genome-wide association studies (GWAS)?
tests for hundreds or thousands of SNPs for associations with diseases, SNPS are used as markers
What is the relationship between SNPs and genes?
there is a statistical association between two alleles at a locus that suggests they are inherited together
What makes vertebrate traits complex?
variants in non-coding regions, genetic variants are associated with the trait not with the gene, genomic loci may influence several genes in the region
