Mendel's experiments in the 1850s and 60s demonstrated that traits passed on from parents may not be visible in the child, however they can still be visible in their grandchildren. This shows that the variant can be passed on, but not be seen. This led to the discovery of physical DNA.
2. Draw the structure of DNA and who created this structure.
Watson and Crick made this discovery.
3. Explain each of the five examples of variations that occur to DNA and give an example of each.
1. Point mutation. This is when a single pair in the DNA changes. This can have an overwhelming affect on the individual's whose DNA has this mutation. For example, in whippet dogs, one mutation can lead to an individual losing the gene that signals the body to stop gaining muscle, which leads to huge whippet dogs.
2. Insertion. of new base pairs can lead to variations in DNA as well. For example, 800-base pairs can be inserted into a pea to create wrinkled peas as opposed to smooth peas by changing its sugar and water content.
3. Gene Copy Number. This is when genes are duplicated because during cell division, errors are copied. This can lead to both differences between individuals within a species, or to differences between species. Chimpanzees contain one gene for the starch digesting enzyme, whereas in humans it was duplicated so much that it led to humans having 10 copies of the gene.
2. Insertion. of new base pairs can lead to variations in DNA as well. For example, 800-base pairs can be inserted into a pea to create wrinkled peas as opposed to smooth peas by changing its sugar and water content.
3. Gene Copy Number. This is when genes are duplicated because during cell division, errors are copied. This can lead to both differences between individuals within a species, or to differences between species. Chimpanzees contain one gene for the starch digesting enzyme, whereas in humans it was duplicated so much that it led to humans having 10 copies of the gene.
4. Duplication. This is an error in copying, commonly in species whose DNA has the same base pair eight or more times in a row. The base pair is commonly copied too many times or too few. One example is of pigs, who commonly have a base pair copied two too many times, leading to light colored pigs lacking pigmination.
5. Regulatory Changes. These are changes in DNA that affect when and where genes are activated. This can cause severe and extreme effects such as changing body parts durning an organisms development. This is what caused changes from the very bushy teostine and the modern tall and lean cornstalk.
4. What is evo-devo?
A specialty within evolutionary biology that focuses on and examines the affects of important gene changes, and how those effect evolution.
5. Make a connection between human migration and the mutation of lactose intolerance.
As humans spread out around the world, they developed different diets based on what resources were available to them. Mutations in humans to be lactose tolerant would thrive and pass down their genes to their children in areas where lactose was a large part of their diet, and this group would evolve to have a lot of people that are lactose tolerant. However, in areas with little to no lactose, this mutation would not affect their survival, and many would remain lactose intolerant.
IN CLASS:
Today in class we began constructing DNA structures with our partners. We cut out different nitrogen bases and created hydrogen bonds between each matching pair and created phosphodiester bonds in order to complete our double helix strand of DNA.
As humans spread out around the world, they developed different diets based on what resources were available to them. Mutations in humans to be lactose tolerant would thrive and pass down their genes to their children in areas where lactose was a large part of their diet, and this group would evolve to have a lot of people that are lactose tolerant. However, in areas with little to no lactose, this mutation would not affect their survival, and many would remain lactose intolerant.
IN CLASS:
Today in class we began constructing DNA structures with our partners. We cut out different nitrogen bases and created hydrogen bonds between each matching pair and created phosphodiester bonds in order to complete our double helix strand of DNA.
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