GBIO

• Genetics


  A branch of biology that deals with heredity and variation
• Heredity


  The sum of all characteristics and potentialities derived from one's ancestors
• Variation


  Individuals from the same species still vary in some characteristics
• Branches of Genetics


  • Molecular genetics
  • Developmental genetics
  • Cytogenetics
  • Biochemical genetics
  • Behavioural genetics
  • Population genetics
  • Quantitative genetics
• Cytogenetics


  • Concerned with the structure and behaviour of chromosomes
• Biochemical genetics


  • Studies the relationship between genes, proteins, metabolism and how these interactions are involved in certain diseases
• Behavioural genetics


  • Examines the role of genetics in animal behaviour
• Population genetics


  • Studies allele frequency distribution caused by different evolutionary processes
• Quantitative genetics


  • Studies continuously measured traits and the mechanism behind it
• Pangenesis


  An organism's environment can change the gemmules in the body and these gemmules will go to the reproductive organs of the organism and will be passed to offspring
• Inheritance of acquired characteristics


  The trait acquired by the parents will be passed on to the next generation
• Cell theory


  All organisms are made up of cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, and cell comes from preexisting cells
• Spontaneous generation


  A living organism comes from non-living components such as the air or soil
• Mendelian inheritance


  Characters are passed from parents to offspring in a predictable manner
• Gregor Mendel


  • The father of Genetics and the proponent of Mendelian inheritance
• Mendel's experiment


  1. Cross-pollinated a purple-flowered garden pea with a white-flowered one

  2. Counted how many offspring had purple and white flowers

  3. Conducted experiments on other traits like seed coat colour, seed colour, pod colour, pod shape, stem height, and flower position
• Inheritance theory


  Inherited genes residing on chromosomes are faithfully transmitted through the gametes such as egg cell and sperm cells to maintain genetic continuity from generation to generation
• Eugenics


  Aims to improve human existence, including positive eugenics (encouraging parents with favourable characteristics to have large families) and negative eugenics (preventing people with unfavourable conditions from having children)
• Euphenics


  Medical or genetic interventions used to reduce the impact of defective genotypes of individuals
• Newborn screening


  • Assesses the presence of certain genetic diseases on a newborn through a blood test
• Selective breeding in agriculture


  • Selecting plants or animals with superior qualities to propagate them and produce superior offspring
• Selective breeding in animals


  • Breeding chickens that grow faster, produce more quality meat, and lay a greater number of larger eggs
• Artificial insemination


  • Using sperm from a single male with preferable traits to fertilize thousands of females
• DNA testing


  • Used to solve problems in disputed parentage
• Genetics


  The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics
• Cell theory


  1. Cell is the basic unit of life
  2. All organisms are made up of cells
  3. Cells come from a preexisting cell
• Parts of a prokaryotic cell

  • Capsule
  • Cell wall
  • Cytoplasm
  • Cell membrane
  • Pili/Fimbriae
  • Flagella
  • Ribosomes
  • Plasmids
  • Nucleoid region
• Parts of a eukaryotic (animal) cell

  • Nucleus
  • Mitochondria
  • Endoplasmic reticulum
  • Golgi apparatus
  • Peroxisomes
  • Vesicles and vacuoles
  • Centrosome
  • Lysosomes
• Parts of a eukaryotic (plant) cell

  • Cell wall
  • Central vacuole
  • Chloroplasts
  • Other specialized plastids
• Nucleus


  Where the majority of DNA is located
• Gene


  A segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or RNA molecule
• Locus


  The specific part of the chromosome where a gene is located
• Chromosome


  Carrier of the genetic material (DNA)
• Alleles


  Alternate forms of a gene
• Parts of a chromosome

  • 2 chromatids (sister chromatids)
  • Kinetochore proteins
  • Centromere
  • Telomeres
• Genotype

  The genes or the pair of alleles of a particular individual
• Homologous chromosomes


  Chromosomes that are identical in gene sites and traits, one from each parent
• Phenotype


  The physical trait of an individual, resulting from the interaction between the genetic make-up (genotype) and the environment
• Sex chromosomes (X and Y) are not strictly homologous
• Dominant allele


  When present, expresses itself despite the number of copies