DNA, Genes, and Proteins

• All cells contain DNA, which includes genes that code for proteins.
• Body tissues consist of specialized cells with similar structures and functions.
• Proteins produced by these cells primarily carry out the functions of body tissues.
• Protein function is essential for proper cell functioning.
• Gene sequence influences protein function, which affects the function of body tissues.
• DNA contains genes, and the sequence of these genes carries instructions for protein creation.
• Tissues, composed of specialized cells, utilize proteins to perform essential functions for the organism.
• Genes, regions of DNA, dictate the structure of proteins, which perform life's essential functions via specialized cell systems.

DNA & Genetic Traits

• Cause-and-effect links exist between DNA, the proteins it codes for, and the resulting traits in organisms.
• Pedigrees, Mendel's work, and mutations serve as evidence for these relationships.
• Cellular DNA and chromosomes are regulated in various ways, including rRNA and tRNA.

Investigating DNA

• Investigations involve the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding traits passed from parents to offspring.

Data Analysis

• Data is organized by frequency, distribution, and variation of expressed traits within a population.
• Punnett squares and pedigrees are used to represent this data.
• Data analysis predicts outcomes of organism crossings with specific phenotypes/genotypes using Punnett squares.
• This determines the mathematical probability for Mendelian and non-Mendelian traits.
  • Includes: incomplete dominance, co-dominance, multiple alleles, pleiotropy, polygenic inheritance, and sex-linked traits.
• Family pedigrees provide data for analyzing inheritance patterns, including single-gene genetic disorders (e.g., hemophilia, color blindness).

Predicting Changes

• Patterns are used to predict trait distribution changes within a population due to environmental shifts.
  • Examples: stress, diet, behavior, toxins, HIV.

Key Concepts

• DNA Structure and Function: Understanding the double helix structure and how it stores genetic information, directs cellular activities, and enables inheritance.
• DNA Replication: The process by which DNA is duplicated, ensuring genetic information is passed on during cell division.
• Macromolecules: Recognize DNA as a nucleic acid macromolecule.
• Nucleic Acids: The building blocks of DNA and RNA, composed of nucleotides.
• Proteins: Understanding their role as the functional molecules of cells, synthesized according to DNA instructions.
• How DNA Creates Protein: Grasping the central dogma of molecular biology: DNA -> RNA -> Protein.
• Translation: The process where mRNA is decoded to produce a specific polypeptide, or protein, chain.
• Transcription: The process where a DNA sequence is copied into a complementary RNA sequence.
• Alleles: Different versions of a gene that determine specific traits.
• Protein Synthesis: The combined processes of transcription and translation, leading to protein production.
• Types of Genetic Mutations: Point mutations, frameshift mutations, and chromosomal mutations, and their potential effects.
• DNA Change Effects: How alterations in DNA sequence can lead to changes in protein structure and function, potentially affecting an organism's traits.
• DNA/Chromosome Role in Coding Traits: Understanding how genes on chromosomes encode instructions for traits.
• Non-Coding DNA Role: Recognizing that not all DNA codes for proteins; non-coding regions have regulatory and structural functions.
• Punnett Square Types: Dihybrid crosses, test crosses, and their applications.
• Dominant/Recessive: Understanding how dominant alleles mask the expression of recessive alleles.
• Heterozygous/Homozygous: Genotype combinations and their effect on phenotype.
• Co-dominance: Both alleles are equally expressed in the phenotype.
• Incomplete Dominance: The heterozygous phenotype is a blend of the two homozygous phenotypes.
• Multiple Alleles: More than two allele options exist for a particular gene.
• Polygenic Inheritance: Traits controlled by multiple genes, resulting in a wide range of phenotypes.
• Non-Mendelian Patterns: Inheritance patterns that don't follow Mendel's laws, such as linked genes.
• Sex-Linked Inheritance: Genes located on sex chromosomes and their unique inheritance patterns.
• Environmental Effects on Genes: How factors like diet, temperature, and exposure to toxins can influence gene expression.