Intro to Genetics
What is evolution
change in a population's allele frequency
Onto which end are new nucleotides added?
3' OH
What is a mutation
change in the DNA seq
Identify 2 components in a PCR tube
Taq polymerase, dNTPs, primers, template DNA, buffer
Name the method used to measure global gene expression
RNA-seq
Describe the general steps in the central dogma
DNA is transcribed into RNA is translated into protein
What are the 3 major parts of a nucleotide?
phosphate, sugar, nitrogenous base
Which will cause a frameshift mutation:
A. 30 bp deletion
B. 111 bp insertion
C. 12 bp insertion
B
What will run furthest/fastest down a gel:
A. 500 bp linear DNA
B. 1000 bp linear DNA
C. 200 bp linear DNA
C. 200 bp linear DNA
Which regulatory sequence is located closer to the transcription start site? Which regulatory sequence is necessary for transcription?
Promoter, Promoter
Are all traits under selective pressure?
No
Which are present in mRNA: introns or exons?
Exons
Which chromosomal alteration is probably most beneficial for an organism?
A. Deletion
B. Inversion
C. Duplication
D. Translocation
C. Duplication
What is more variable between two individuals: non-coding or coding DNA? Why?
Non-coding DNA is more variable between two individuals. Coding DNA sequences are more conserved between individuals; mutations in coding DNA could be detrimental while mutations in non-coding DNA are more likely to have no effect on an organism.
Name an epigenetic marker that will cause looser packing of nucleosomes. Will transcription increase or decrease with this marker?
Histone tail acetylation will cause looser packing of nucleosomes and increase the region's transcription
Name 3 ways in which traits are controlled
1. gene alone
2. environment alone
3. gene & environment
Which regulatory element does RNA polymerase bind to at the start of transcription?
the promoter
What is the difference between a substitution/point mutation and a SNP?
A SNP occurs in at least 1 % of the alleles of a population.
What is a selection gene used for?
To determine whether your grown cells contain the plasmid (in which the selection gene is located)
Explain how an enhancer can be active in a muscle cell but inactive in an epithelial cell
The transcription factor(s) that bind to the enhancer is present in the muscle cell but not in the epithelial cell
-Var in a trait exists within pop
-Traits are heritable
-Not all alleles are passed down equally to the next generation ("selection")
How many amino acids are coded in this strand of mRNA:
5' UAUCCGAUGAUCCAUUGA3'
3
When considering forward and reverse genetics, which starts with an organism's phenotype and which starts at its sequence?
Forward: phenotype --> find the cause (seq)
Reverse: sequence --> mutate and hope to find a phenotype to ID gene function
Which reporter gene allows subcellular tracking of gene expression?
GFP
(luciferase indicates expression occurred, but not the subcellular location)
Summarize/generalize the two ways in which RNAi suppresses gene expression
1. Cuts mRNA in half when the mRNA is a perfect match to the viral ssDNA fragment or siRNA
2. Inhibits translation when the mRNA is a close but imperfect match to the viral ssDNA fragment or miRNA