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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of alternative splicing in gene expression?
What is the role of translation in gene expression?
What is the main characteristic of a recessive allele?
What does the term 'homozygous' refer to in genetics?
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What is the function of an exon in gene expression?
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What is the specific segment of DNA that determines a specific protein?
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Which type of cell division involves the reduction of chromosomes in gametes?
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What imbalance in chromosome number can cause abnormalities in development?
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Which condition is characterized by having an extra chromosome 21?
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What is the result of the independent assortment of chromosomes?
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What is the purpose of meiosis in gamete formation?
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Study Notes
Gene Expression
- Alternative splicing allows for the generation of multiple proteins from a single gene by selectively including or excluding certain exons, increasing protein diversity and functional complexity.
Translation
- Translation is the process by which messenger RNA (mRNA) is used to build a protein, involving the assembly of amino acids in a specific order determined by the sequence of nucleotides in the mRNA.
Heredity and Genetics
- A recessive allele will only express its effect if an individual is homozygous for that allele, meaning they have two copies of it (one from each parent).
- An individual is homozygous if they have two identical alleles for a particular gene, one inherited from each parent.
Gene Structure and Expression
- Exons are the coding regions of a gene that are included in the final mRNA molecule, providing the instructions for protein synthesis.
- The specific segment of DNA that determines a specific protein is called a gene or a coding region.
Cell Division and Inheritance
- Meiosis is the type of cell division that involves the reduction of chromosomes in gametes, resulting in four non-identical daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
- Aneuploidy, an imbalance in chromosome number, can cause abnormalities in development, as it disrupts the normal functioning of genes and their products.
- Down syndrome is characterized by having an extra copy of chromosome 21, resulting in cognitive and physical impairments.
Inheritance Patterns
- The independent assortment of chromosomes during meiosis leads to the shuffling of genetic traits, increasing genetic diversity in the offspring.
- Meiosis is essential for gamete formation, as it allows for the mixing of genetic material from two parents, increasing the chances of genetic variation in the offspring.
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Description
Test your knowledge about cell division processes such as meiosis and mitosis, as well as the basic concepts of sex chromosomes and autosomes. Learn about the formation of a zygote and the characteristics inherited through homologous chromosome pairs.
