Microbiology Notes Exam 2 (Lectures 9&10) – Flashcards

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question
  • What molecule are we talking about when we talk about genetics?
  • What type of macromolecule is this?
answer

DNA!

  • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses.
  • DNA is a nucleic acid!
    • Alongside proteins and carbohydrates, nucleic acids compose the three major macromolecules essential for all known forms of life. 
    • Most DNA molecules are double-stranded helices, consisting of two long biopolymers made of simpler units called nucleotides
    • [image]
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  • What carries the information for producing all of the enzymes (functional proteins) that a cell needs to produce?
answer

DNA

  • How? Prof. McCleary didn't go in depth in this lecture but she did when she spoke of protein synthesis some weeks back.
    • DNA is a nucleic acid with a phosphate deoxyribose backbone and four nucleotide bases which appear in varying sequence.
    • The sequence of these bases is read like a langauge by ribsomes. 
      • To ribosomes, every three bases (e.g. ATG) is a one word instruction calling for a complementary set of bases (e.g. TAC) and an attendent specific amino acid. 
    • By way of these instructions and the actions of ribosomes and 3 types of RNA amino acids are strung together to form polypeptide chains. 
    • These chains form the the functional (ENZYMES) and structural proteins which build and make the body function. 
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What is the five carbon sugar which makes up the back bone of DNA?
answer

Deoxyribose

  • The image below shows deoxyribose. It also indicated the position of both the thre prime and five prime carbons. 

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  • This image shows the physcial relationship between deoxyribsoe and the phosphate and nucleotide base in a DNA molecule

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What are the four nucleotide bases in DNA?
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Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Thymine (T) and Cytosine (C)

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  • What do we call the pairing that occurs between particular nucleotide bases in DNA?
answer

complementary base pairing

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  • What pairs with each of the following?
    • Cytosine
    • Thymine
    • Adenine 
    • Guanine
answer
  • What pairs with each of the following?
    • Cytosine pairs with Guanine
    • Thymine pairs with Adenine
    • Adenine pairs with Thymine
    • Guanine pairs with Cytosine
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  • Match each letter representing a nucleotide base to the letter representing its base pair, or complementary base.
    • A
    • G
    • T
    • T
    • A
    • C
answer
  • A - T 
  • G - C
  • T - A
  • T - A
  • A - T
  • C - G
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What do we call a segment of DNA that codes for a specific product?
answer

A gene!

  • Our genome is composed of> chromosomes (23 pairs or 46 chromosomes in humans, 1 in bacteria) > chromosomes are composed of genes which are segments of DNA 

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What is a gene?
answer

A gene is a segment of the DNA that codes for specific producte

e.g. the gene for eye color, or for a flagella

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What do we call all the genetic informatian in an organism?
answer

The organism's genome

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What structure(s) contain a bacteria's genome?
answer

The single bacterial chromosome and its plasmid(s), if present. 

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  • When people speak of the human or mammalian genome, what type(s) of DNA is/are usually being considered? 
  • What type(s) or types is often not considered?
answer
  • When people speak of the human genome they are usually referencing chromosomal DNA only. 
    • Mitochondrial DNA is often not considered, though technically it is part of our genome. It allows mitochondria to replicate independently
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  • What do we call the type of DNA that is usually a repeat of what's on the main chromosome of mammilian DNA ?
answer
Mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA
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What allows mitochondria to replicate independently of their cells?
answer

Mitochondrial DNA

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What self replicating stucture exists in mammalian cells?
answer

Mitochondria

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Who is mitochondrial DNA inherited from?
answer
  • Mitochondrial DNA is inherited from one's mother

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What is the main function of mitchondria in the cell?
answer
  • mitochondria are structures within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
  • mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses of the cell" because of their central role in energy production. 
    • NOTE: while bacteria produce energy via the electrong transport chain in their cell membrane, eukaryotic organisms produce it in the inner mitochondrial membrane or cristae. 

[image]

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What is the relationship between mitochondrial DNA and excercise?
answer
  • MORE EXERCISE > MORE MITOCHONDRIAL REPLICATION > MORE ENERGY FOR EXCERCISE 
  • WHY?:
    • Mitochondria are small structures found in most cells.  They are often referred as the "powerhouse" of the cell because they transform energy from food into cellular energy (ATP). 
    • Because mitochondria have their own DNA they can replicate within the cell independently. 
    • Excericise increases the replication of mitochondria in muscle cells "being worked", improving the body's ability to produce energy. 
    • In other words, the more mitochondria you have, the more energy you can generate during exercise, the faster and longer you can exercise.
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What do we call all the genetic information that an organism has?
answer

The organism's genome. 

[image]

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What is the difference between genotype and genome?
answer
  • The definitions for these words vary considerably from source to source, and even within single sources. 
  • Prof. McClearly said the difference was semantic: different langauge used to say essentially the same thing. This implies we don't have to know the difference but it's probably helpful to know it, if only for reading. 
    • Genotype is often used to talk about an individual's inherited genes. 
    • Genome is often used to speak more broadly about the genetic material of a species. 
  • Below are the definitions from the Human Genome Project's website:
  • A genotype is an individual's collection of genes. 
    • The term also can refer to the two alleles inherited for a particular gene. The genotype is expressed when the information encoded in the genes' DNA is used to make protein and RNA molecules. The expression of the genotype contributes to the individual's observable traits, called the phenotype.
  • The genome is the entire set of genetic instructions found in a cell
    • In humans, the genome consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes, found in the nucleus, as well as a small chromosome found in the cells' mitochondria. These chromosomes, taken together, contain approximately 3.1 billion bases of DNA sequence.
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What do we call all of the genes an organism is currently expressing?
answer

PHENOTYPE

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What do we call two genes that influence the same trait?
answer

alleles

In this example, the alleles are for a flower's color. 

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  • If an individual has type A blood as their phenotype, what can we say about their genotype for this trait?
answer
  • Knowing that type A is a codominant blood type with type B (if either is present, it will be expressed, always) we can say that the genotype can not have type B in it. 
    • If it did, the B be expressed, resulting in type AB blood.
  • Knowing that O has no markers, we can not say if it is present or absent.
  • The genotype is either AA or AO.

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If a mother and father both have one allele for brown eyes (B) and one for blue eyes (b), what are their chances of having a blue eyed child (bb)?
answer
  • These parents have a 1 in 4 chance of having a blue eyed child each time they reproduce.
  • [image]
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Are eukaryotic cells diploid or haploid?
answer
  • Eukaryotic celdiploidls are diploid, meaning they have two genes that  code for each trait.

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  • What type of cell contains only one copy of the organisms genetic information
  • What type of organism contains only this type of cell?
answer
  • A haploid cell. 
  • Haploid cells are in prokaryotic organisms.  
    • They NOT EXCLUSIVE TO PROKARYOTES
      • Gametes, fungi, some plants and some insects are also haploid. 
  • Prokaryotic organisms only contain haploid cells. 

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Are prokaryotic cells diploid or haploid?
answer

HAPLOID, meaning they have only one copy of their genetic information.

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  • Knowing bacteria are haploid, what can we say about their gene expression?
answer
  • Bacteria are haploid, therefore, given the right environment, their genes will be expressed.
    • This is not true with diploid organisms. There is no way, for example, to make a person with a brown and blue allele for eye color, express the gene that they received for blue eyes. The dominant gene is always expressed. 
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What did human's "base knowledge" of how genetics works come out of? Why?
answer
  • Research using bacteria informs our understanding of how genetics works. 
  • This is because bacteria are haploid, making it easier to tract the passage and expression of genetic traits among them. 
    • It is "easier" due to the fact that one does not have to deal with dominance, codominance, blending, recessive traits etc.  
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Are their alleles in prokaryotic DNA? Why or why not?
answer
  • No, because prokaryotic DNA is haploid. Only one gene controls for each expressed "trait". 
    • * Allele: two genes that control for the same trait.

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  • Prof. McCleary noted that, "All cells have a mechanism that allows them to take a good look at the DNA that they are copying." 
  • What is this mechanism?
answer
  • This was a little unclear. I'm going to ask. 
  • I believe it is the process of replication, whereby a DNA molecule is unzipped and complimentarity of bases allows production of two identical daughter molecules.  
  • It could also be the editting process, by which mismatched bases are removed. 
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  • In the process of DNA replication, what property of DNA bases accounts for the ability of a strand of DNA to be copied? 
answer
  • Complementarity of bases allows DNA to be copied. 
  • HOW?
    • The two strands of DNA are complementary to one another.
    • The base adenine will only pair with the base thymine and the base guanine will only pair with the base cytosine.
    • Because of this, when the helix unwinds and replication occurs, each strand generates a copy of its original partner, resulting in 2 strands of identical DNA.

[image]

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What two types structures compose the backbone of DNA?
answer

Repeating deoxyribose sugar groups connected by phosphate groups.

  • It is often called a sugar phosphate backbone, though Prof. McCleary sometimes simply calls it the "deoxyribose backbone". 

[image]

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What is the "job" of a cell?
answer
To produce proteins that contribute to the overall integrity of the organism.
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  • After a cell comes to existence, what does it do prior to producing proteins, (a.k.a. doing its job)?
answer

It increases in size.

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  • In the life of a cell (both eurkaryotic & prokaryotic), what happens prior to the division of nucleur materials (via mitosis or binary fission)
answer

Replication of DNA

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  • Prof. McCleary drew a circle on the board to represent the life cycle of a cell. The letters P-M-A-T were written in a small section of the circle. 
  • What did those letters stand for and what stage of a eukaryotic cell's lifecycle did they collectively represent?
  • In what stage does DNA replication occur?
answer
  • That circle showed the entirety of a eukaryotic cell's life cycle. 
  • The section with the letters PMAT represented the phases of mitosis. These are  P- prophase M- metaphase A- anaphase T- telophase.
      • It wasn't clear to me if we had to know these
  • The purpose of this drawing was to show us that DNA replication happened prior to mitosis, in interphase

[image]

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When does DNA replication occur in relationship to mitosis?
answer

DNA replication occurs prior to mitosis. 

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  • What happens to DNA after replication but prior to mitosis? 

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answer
  • A DNA proofreading process.
    • Prof. McCleary indicated this but other sources indicate that the proofreading happens concurrently with the replication, that is, as each section is laid down.
    • I'll ask.  

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  • What is so paramount to the survival of the cell that a proofreading process is employed to prevent any mistakes in it?
answer

Accurate matching of base pairs in the DNA sequence


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  • If a mistake is found in the base pairings of DNA, what safety feature/mechanism allows an erronously placed base to be excised or removed and replaced?
answer
  • The cell has enzymes which allow the erroneously placed piece of DNA to be cut out and a new correct base to be spliced in. 

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Why do most of the mistakes in DNA replication go unnoticed?
answer
  • Because the DNA goes through a proofreading process before the divisional stage occurs. This proces corrects the errors. 

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What do we call an error in DNA replication which is not caught by the proofreading process?
answer
A mutation
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  • Once beyond the proofreading stage of DNA replication what can we say about any undetected errors?
answer
The errors are going forward, there are no more corrections.
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What do we call a permanent and heritable change in DNA?
answer

A mutation

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  • When a mutation occurs, we say that it is a permanent and heritable change. What or who inherits this change?
answer

All future generations of that cell. 

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  • What do we call the site on a DNA molecule that is created by helicase as it breaks the hydrogen bonds holding the two DNA strands together?
    • Note: This site results in the seperate strands of DNA that serve as the template for the leading and lagging strands.
answer

Replication Fork (D)

[image]

  • Depiction of DNA replication with replication fork, strands and okazaki-fragments. a: template strands, b: leading strand, c: lagging strand, d: replication fork, e: RNA primer, f: Okazaki fragment
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What is the replication fork?
answer
  • The replication fork is the site on a DNA molecule at which the unwinding of the helices and synthesis of daughter molecules are both occurring.

[image]

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What do three prime (3') and five prime (5') pertain to? 

To what process are these terms relevant?

answer
  • Three and five prime refer to particular carbons on the deoxyribose (5 carbon sugar ring) backbone of DNA
    • The 5?-end (pronounced "five prime end") designates the end of the DNA or RNA strand that has the fifth carbon in the sugar-ring of the deoxyribose at its terminus. 
      • This is what the phosphate is attached to in the image below.
    • The 3?-end of a strand is so named due to it terminating at the hydroxyl group (OH) of the third carbon in the sugar-ring. It is known as the tail end
    • DNA replication always occurs from 5' to 3' or from head to tail (or downstream). Nucleic acids can only be synthesized in the 5?-to-3? direction because the polymerase that assembles new strands only attaches new nucleotides to the 3?-hydroxyl (-OH) group
  • These terms are relevant to DNA replication.[image]
  • [image]note: the deoxyribose is inverted on the three prime to five prime strand.
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When a cell goes to replicate, what happens to the double helix of the DNA?
answer

It must uncoil. This is the task of the enzyme helicase. 

[image]

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  • In bacteria, when a single mutation occurs during the DNA replication process and it is not corrected prior to cell division, how many daughter cells are affected?
answer
  • Only one daughter cell is given the mutation. The other daughter cell has normal DNA.
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What is the purpose of DNA?
answer
  • The purpose of the DNA is to give a cell/cells the "recipes" for the protein synthesis that they need to perform in order for the organism to function.
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In what type of pattern is DNA read?
answer
DNA is always read in sequences of 3, or codons.
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Where does protein synthesis occur?
answer

Protein synthesis occurs at the ribosome

[image]

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  • In order for protein synthesis to occur at a given codon (sequence of three) on the mRNA, what is true about the previous codon? 
answer
  • It must have been read and translated. mRNA advance sequentially in the ribsome. It will not advance before the presenting codon (3 nucleotide bases) has been read and its anticodon (3 base pairs to that sequence) and attending amino acid brought in by tRNA.

[image]

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What happens if a ribosome can not read the presenting codon?
answer
The mRNA does not advance and protein synthesis ceases.
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  • What do we call an error in DNA replication that results in one base pair being incorrectly matched?
    • Give both names.
answer

A base pair mutation or a point substition mutation

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What do we call an error in which one nucleotide base is out of sequence?
answer

A base-pair or a point-substitution mutation.

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How large is the average small protein?
answer
  • 700- 800 amino acids long. Multiply by 3 to determine the number of base pairs (2100-2400).  The large ones are unfathomably big. 

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What are the three possible outcomes for a point substitution error?
answer
  1. Nonsense Code
  2. Missence Code
  3. Silent Mutation

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What do we call a mutation that codes for no amino acid?
answer

A nonsense mutation

Think: NO AMINO ACID = NONSENSE

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What do we call a mutation that calls for an incorrect amino acid?
answer

Missense mutation

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What do we call a mutation that results in the correct amino acid being called for?
answer
A silent mutation
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What type of amino acid is called for in a nonsense code?
answer

none. 

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  • What is the result of a DNA mutation in which no amino acid is formed?
answer

a STOP CODE

  • In the genetic code, a stop codon (or termination codon) is a nucleotide triplet within messenger RNA that signals a termination of translation.
    • Proteins are based on polypeptides, which are unique sequences of amino acids. Most codons in messenger RNA (from DNA) correspond to the addition of an amino acid to a growing polypeptide chain, which may ultimately become a protein. 
  • Stop codons signal the termination of this process by binding release factors, which cause the ribosomal subunits to disassociate, releasing the amino acid chain.

[image]

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What type of protein results from a stop code?
answer
NONE.
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  • What happens to the messenger RNA when it reaches a codon which codes for no amino acid?
answer
  • mRNA can progress no further. A sequence that calls for no amino acid is a stop code. The mRNA stops progressing, and releases the unfinished chain.
  • No protein is formed. 
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What type of code calls for an amino acid, but not the correct amino acid?
answer
A missense code.
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What type of protein results from a missence code?
answer
an incorrect amino acid.
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  • When a string of amino acids leaves the ribosome as a polypeptide chain, is it functional?
answer
  • Nope. It's nonfunctional in this primary structure.
  • It needs to fold into its secondary, tertiary or quaternary structure to function
  •  [image]
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  • What do we call the structure of a string of amino acids as it comes off the ribsome?
answer

This is the primary structure of a protein

[image]

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  • What 2 possible arrangements are chains of amino acids coiled or folded into after they come off of their ribosome?
answer
  • Chains of amino acids, are either coiled into an Alpha Helix or folded into a Beta Pleat  

[image]

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  • What type of structure is the Alpha Helix and the Beta Pleat?
  • Are proteins complete at this level?
answer
  • The Alpha Helix and Beta Pleat are secondary protein structures. 
  • Many proteins are complete at this level. 
  • [image]
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What type of bonds create the secondary structure of proteins?
answer

Hydrogen Bonds

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What structural level of protein are tendons, collagen and ligaments?
answer

Proteins, collagen and ligaments are proteins with a secondary structure.

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What are two types of functional proteins?
answer
Hormones and enzymes
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  • What is responsible for the way an enzyme is able to function at a specific site as a key fits in a lock?
answer
  • The tertiary or quaternary structure of the enzyme, a structure which is created by hydrogen bonds between the component amino acids. 
    • e.g. This is superoxide desmutase

[image]

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What dictates the final shape of any given enzyme?
answer
  • Hydrogen bonds between specific amino acids in specific relationship with eachother. This is why the "key" end of an enzyme is dependent on a very specific order of amino acid. If the order wrong, the bonds are wrong and the shape is wrong. The "key" won't fit into its "lock".
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  • If an missence mutation occurs, will the enzyme that the enyzme that it codes for function?
answer
  • It depends on where in the chain the mutation occured.
  • If the mutation occurs on the "business end" of the key, no, the enzyme will not function. At least one wouldn't expect it to. 
    • Prof. McCleary noted the sticky key that, though bent, still starts the car. 
  • An incorrect amino acid will be placed in the polypeptide chain.
  • Due to that incorrect amino acid the final structure of the enzyme will be distorted rendering it nonfunctional.
  • If the error occurs on the "nonbusiness end" the enzyme may function normally. 
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  • After a mutation in which an ezyme is produced, the degree to which that enzyme is nonfunctional depends on what factor?
answer
  • The location of the mutation or where the error occurs. 
  • Generally, if the error occurs in the "key" area, it will be nonfunctional. 
  • It may be marginally functional if only a small distortion occurs.
  • If it occurs elsewhere, the enzyme may function normally but this is rare.
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What do we call a mutation that has no discernable effect?
answer
A silent mutation.
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What occurs in a silent mutation?
answer

The code is wrong but the protein is correct.

This is due to the redundancy or degeneracy of DNA

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How is a silent mutation possible?
answer
Some codons (sequences of 3 nucleotide bases) code for the same amino acid.
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How many combination of nucleotide bases are there?
answer
64
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How many amino acids are there?
answer
There are 20 amino acids
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How many of the 64 possible combinations (codons) of base pairs are stop codes?
answer
3 of the 64 are stop codes.
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How many combinations ultimatly code for the 20 amino acids?
answer
61 (There are 64 possible combinations but three are stop codes)
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  • What do we call the phenomena whereby more than one code results in the same amino acid?
answer
Redundancy or Degeneracy
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How many codes code for each amino acid?
answer
There is no universal number. Some have only one code, some have four.
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What do we call the principle whereby more than one sequence specifies a particular amino acid? Give both names.
answer
  • Redundancy. The genetic code is redundant or degenerate
  • Degeneracy of codons is the redundancy of the genetic code, exhibited as the multiplicity of three-codon combinations specifying a single amino acid.
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How many types of mutations are there?

What are they called?

answer
  • There are two types of mutations, a point or base pair substituion mutation and a frame shift mutation.
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What do we call the type of error that occurs in only one base pair?

[image]

answer
A base substitution or point mutation [image]
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What type of genetic mutation is analogous to a typo?
answer

A point mutation or base substitution mutation.

[image]

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What do we call a point mutation or base substitution mutation which inadvertantly creates a stop code?
answer

Nonsense code. No protein created. 

[image]

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  • What do we call a point mutation or base substitution mutation which creates an incorrect protein?
answer

A missence mutation

(This is the last example in the image below.) 

[image]

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  • What do we call a point mutation or base substitution mutation which results in the correct protein being formed?
answer

a silent mutation (the first point mutation below)

 

[image]

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What aspect of the genetic code makes silent mutations possible?
answer

The  degeneracy or redundency of the genetic code

[image]1

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  • How does an incorrect sequence of nucleotide bases lead to a completely functional protein?
answer
  • The genetic code is redundent. In this circumstance the incorrect base ended up coding for the same amino acid as the correct base would have, resulting in a normal protein. 
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What do we call the time between the occurance of a mutation and when the mutation has reproduced enough to make its mutation visually apparent?
answer
phenotypic lag
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  1. A bacterial organism mutates. 
  2. The mutant organism is successful enough to repoduce.
  3. Time passes as the original organism's offspring continue to reproduce.
  4. Finally the effects of the mutation becomes noticable in the population. 
  • What do we call the time between the first event and the last?
answer

Phenotypic lag. 

  • Note: The phenotype is the external manifestation of an organism's genotype. It makes sense that the phenotypic lag is the time it takes for a change in the organism's genome (mutation) to show up in its phenome or the sum of its phenotypic traits. 
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  • What do we call the time between the occurance of a mutation and our ability to visualize or become aware of its presence? 
answer
Phenotypic lag
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Define phenotypic lag.
answer
  • The time between the occurance of a mutation and our ability to visualize or become aware of its presence.
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At  least _____ percent of the organisms on a given plate have mutated.
answer
At  least  _4%_ percent of the organisms on a given plate have mutated?
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  • If you inoculate a plate of TSA and multiple colonies of roughly 200 organisms arise, will you be able to determine a mutant strain? 
answer
  • No
  • There may be only a single mutant per colony. (1/200) The mutation will not be discernable at this ratio. It would take a much larger number of mutated organisms to make the mutation apparent. 
  • The time it takes to reach this number of organisms is the phenotypic lag.
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Why can we not observe a mutation when it first arises in a colony of bacteria?
answer
  • A mutation arises in the DNA of a single organism. 
  • That mutation will be apparent in that organism but the qualities of the individual organism will be masked by the group until the mutated organism has replicated numerous times.
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What must occur for a mutation to be propogated forward?
answer
  • In order for a mutation to propogated forward, the mutation must equip the organism to be equally successful (or more successful) than its normal counterparts. 
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Are all mutations propogated forward, why or why not?
answer
  • Not all mutations are propogated forward. 
  • Some mutations lead to distinct disadvantages that undercut the competitivness of the organism. Unless the mutation allows the organism to be equally competitive with other organisms in the same media or host, it will not be propogated forward. 
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Is mutation in bacteria a rare occurence?
answer
No! Bacteria  are readily able to "reinvent" some of their properties
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  • What is the difference between the degeneracy and the redundency of the genetic code?
answer
  • Nothing. These terms mean exactly the same thing in the context of the genetic code. 
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  • What type of mutation is represented below?
    •  The dog bit the kid v
    • The dog btt hek id...
answer
A frame shift mutation
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A series of how many nucleotide bases specify one amino acid?
answer

A series of 3 nucleotide bases specify one amino acid. 

[image]

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The genetic code is always read in sequences of  ________.
answer
The genetic code is always read in sequences of three.
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  • What do we call a mutation that occurs when a nucleotide is either added or deleted?
answer

A frame shift muation

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  • A gene normally reads:  ATC TAG CCC AGA
  • A mutation results in the following: ATT AGC  CCA GA...
  • What type of mutation has occurred?
answer
  • A gene reads:  ATC TAG CCC AGA
  • A mutation results in the following: ATT AGC  CCA GA...
  • This is a frameshift mutation as the result of a deletion 
    • The C in the first triplet was deleted
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  • What do we call the type of mutation caused by the addition or subtraction of a nucleotide base?
answer
A frameshift mutation results from an addition or deletion of a nucleotide base.
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In a frameshift mutation, what type of protein results?
answer
  • No protein (or an inactive protein) is produced when an organism has a frameshift mutation.
  • The entire sequence is skewed from the point of mutation and odds are that a stop code will be encountered before the end of the sequence is reached.  
  • The book notes, "In most cases a nonsense code will be encountered, terminating translation."
    • Prof. McCleary said that "No one's luck is good enough." 
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  • If during DNA replication an error occurs in a gene which makes the production of a given protein impossible, what can we say for certain about that organisms offspring?
answer
  • The offspring will inherit the faulty DNA and also be unable to produce the given protein. 
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What are inborn metabolic error?
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  • Inborn metabolic errors or inborn errors of metabolism are conditions caused by genetic mutations which result in the absence of or nonfunctionality of some essential element of metabolism, often an enzyme.
    • The majority are due to defects of single genes that code for enzymes that facilitate conversion of various substances into others products. 
    • In most of the disorders, problems arise due to accumulation of substances which are toxic or interfere with normal function, or to the effects of reduced ability to synthesize essential compounds.
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PKU and Tay-Sachs disease are both examples of what?
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Inborn metabolic errors or inborn metabolic disorders.

NOTE: both diseases result from the inherited inability to produce a given enzyme necessary for the normal metabolic processes of the body. 

  • Tay-Sachs disease is a life-threatening disease of the nervous system passed down through families. Tay-Sachs disease occurs when the body lacks hexosaminidase A, a protein that helps break down a chemical found in nerve tissue called gangliosides. Without this protein, gangliosides,  build up in cells, especially nerve cells in the brain, killing the cells and resulting in death. 
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive metabolic genetic disorder characterized by a mutation in the gene for the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), rendering it nonfunctional. This enzyme is necessary to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine (Phe) to the amino acid tyrosine. Untreated PKU can lead to intellectual disability, seizures, and other serious medical problems.
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  • What do we call the disorder associated with the Ashkanazi Jewish population characterized by an inablity to process certain lipids, resulting in nerve and brain damage and, in the vast majority of cases, early death?
answer
Tay-Sachs disease
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What historically prevelant social taboos have perpetuated diseases like Tay-Sachs?
answer
  • The social taboos which has perpetuated diseases like Tay-Sachs are the taboos which say one must not marry or have children with anyone outside their own culture & ethnic background.
  • This limits the genetic pool resulting in an increased likelihood that two parents will carry the same mutation. 
    • The more exclusive the population, the higher the incidence of mutation
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  • If Tay-Sachs were a bacterial instead of a human disease, would it be more or less common? Why?
answer
  • Tay-Sachs would be much, much less common in bacteria because bacteria, being haploid, would not be able to mask the presence of the mutated gene with a normal allele. 
  • The disease, therefore, would manifest in the parent cell which would die before "reproductive age" as the children who have the actual disease do. 
  • The disease would not be perpetuated
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What type of mutation often produces lethals?
answer
Frame shift mutation
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For a bacterial mutation to be carried forward, what must it do?
answer
  • Because bacteria are haploid, their mutations are not masked. Therefore, in order for a mutation to be propogated forward it must help the organism in some way, or give it an at-least-equally competative edge with its nonmutated counterpart.
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In what two ways do mutations originate?
answer
Spontaneous mutation and Induced mutation
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What do we call mutations that occur at random?
answer
Spontaneous mutations
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Are spontaneous mutations relatively frequent, or infrequent?
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  • Spontaneous mutations are relatively infrequent considering the number of cells and cell turnover in a multicellular organism.
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Are spontaneous mutations predictable  or unpredictable in their outcome?
answer
Spontaneous mutations are unpredictable in their outcome.
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  • Many antibiotic resistant strains have resulted from:
    • a. raditation exposure
    • b. chemical exposure
    • c. spontaneous mutation
    • d. all of the above
answer
  • Many antibiotic resistant strains have resulted from:
    • a. raditation exposure
    • b. chemical exposure
    • c. spontaneous mutation
    • d. all of the above
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Is antibiotic resistance promoted by spontaneous mutation?
answer
  • Nope.
  • It's not likely that two organisms will mutate in the same way and end up with the same antibiotic resistance. 
    • e.g. Entero coccus and Staph aureous are both vancomycin resistant. 
    • It is highly unlikely that both organisms mutated in the same spot.
    • (Conjugation is the more likely means of promotion)
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What type of mutation is the result of chance?
answer
Spontaneous mutations
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What type of cause of mutation associated with exposure to radiation?
answer
Induced mutations are sometimes caused by exposure to radiation
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What effect does radiation have on the chromosomes?
answer
  • Radiation often fragments chromosomes. The chromosomes then reanneal in a "funky fashion"
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Which type of mutagen is more predictable in its results, radiation or chemical?
answer
  • Chemically induced mutations are more predictable in their results than radiation induced mutations.
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  • What are the two main of induced mutations?
  • Which is less predictable in its result?
answer
  • The two types of induced mutations are radiation induced and chemically induced.
  • Radiation induced mutations are less predictable in their result. 
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  • What mutagen allows a more specific predication as to the area effected and the type of problem that will result?
answer
  • Chemical mutations allow more specific predications because each chemical interacts with the DNA in a highly specific way. 
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How do we determine if a given chemical is mutagenic?
answer

 By performing the Ames Test

  • Note: The Ames test reviewed in lecture differs from that in our textbook. The "Ames test" as discussed in lecture is very similiar to the replica plating on p. 229, in that it uses a wildtype salmonella capable of producing its own histadine. 
  • The actual Ames test uses a histadine dependent strain and determines mutation by the  reversion in the salmonella's ability to produce histadine.
    • That is, a mutagenic agent will apparently make this strain of salmonella able to produce its own histadine. 
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What type of bacteria is employed in the Ames test?
answer

Salmonella, specifically Salmonella typhimurium

  • Despite the fact that we reviewed an Ames test that used wild type salmonella, Prof. did note that this was the actual type used. 
  • She also noted that we did not need to know the strain, just that it was a type of Salmonella. 
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What is an essential amino acid?
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  • An essential amino acid is an amino acid which the organism must take in from a nutrient source
  • An amino acid which is not produced by the organism and must be supplied by the diet. 
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What is a non-essential amino acid?
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  • A nonessential amino acid is an amino acid which, given a spectrum of amino acids, the body can  make for itself.
  • A nonessential amino acid does not need to be obtained through the diet. 
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  • For the wild-type salmonella, the type we would use in lab, is histidine an essential or nonessential amino acid?
answer
  • For wild-type salmonella histidine is a nonessential amino acid. That is, wild-type salmonella does not need to get this amino acid from its environment/diet, it makes it itself. 
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What amino acid is associated with the Ames test?
answer
histidine
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What nonessential amino acid is employed in the Ames test?

Who is this amino acid nonessential to?

answer

Histidine is employed in the Ames test.

Histidine is a nonessential amino acid to wild type salmonella

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  • In the Ames test, as discussed in lecture, what organism and what substance are added to a broth culture?
  • In the book, what organism is used for the Ames test?
answer
  • In the Ames test (lecture version) wild-type salmonella and chemical (X) whose mutagenicity is to be determine, are added to a broth culture. 
  • In the book, an auxotrophic version of salmonella is used in the Ames test. 
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  • According to our lecture on the Ames test, in order to determine the mutagenicity of a given chemical that chemical is mixed with wild-type salmonella in a broth culture. 
  • According to the book, in order to determine the mutagenicity of a given chemical that chemical is mixed with an auxotrophic salmonella in a broth culture. 
  • In either case, what must be done with this mixture prior to plating the mixture?
answer
  • It must be incubated so that the organism grows & metabolizes in the presence of the chemical. 
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  • According to our lecture on the Ames test, what constitutes the mixture that is incubated?
  • What characterizes the plates that that incubated mixture is poured onto?
answer
  • In the lecture version of the Ames test a chemical (x) is mixed with wild-type salmonella in a broth culture. This mixture is incubated. 
  • This mixture is then poured onto two plates: one containing the amino acid histidine and one containing no histidine. 
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According to the lecture on the Ames test, what is in each of the two plates onto which the broth mixture of wild-type salmonella and chemical x is innoculated?
answer
  • Both plates contain a growth medium. One plate contains the amino acid histidine. One plate contains no histidine. 

 

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  • According to lecture, what results on the Ames test indicates that chemical x is mutagenic? Why?
  • If one were to perform this test beginning with an auxotrophic version of salmonella, what result would confirm mutagenicity?
answer
  • Growth on ONLY the histidine containing plate indicates that chemical X is a mutagen
    • This is for a version of the test which uses wild type salmonella, for which histidine is a nonessential amino acid. 
    • Growth on only the histidine containing plate would indicate that the organism could no longer produce its own histidine and a mutation had occurred. 
  • If this same test were performed with a histadine depedendent strain of salmonella, [an auxotrophic strain], growth on both plates would indicate a positve result, or that chemical X is mutagenic
    • Reversion to the ability to produce histadine indicates mutation. 
    • This is what the textbook version of the Ames test shows. 
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  • On the Ames test, as it was reviewed in lecture, what would indicate a negative result, or that chemical x is non-mutagenic?
  • On the Ames test, as described in the book, [using an auxotrophic strain] what would indicate a negative result of that chemical X is not mutagenic?
answer
  • On the Ames test, (as reviewed in lecture- using wild-type salmonella) a negative result is indicated by growth on both the plate containing histidine and the plate without histidine. 
    • This would suggest that the organism exposed to chemical x is still capable of producing its own histidine and no mutation has occured. 
  • On the Ames test, according to the text book, [using an auxotrophic form of salmonella] a negative result would be indicated by growth on only the histadine containing plate. 
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In the lecture on the Ames test, what did growth on both plates indicate?
answer
  • According to the lecture version of the Ames test, growth on both plates indicated a negative result, or that: "Chemical X is not mutagenic"
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  • According to the lecture on the Ames test, what did growth on only the histidine containing plate indicate? Why?
answer
  • According to the lecture on the Ames test*, growth on the histidine plate only indicates a positive result: "Chemical X is mutagenic"
    • Wild-type salmonella, the bacteria used in the lecture version,  normally produces its own histidine. This result indicates that the bacteria lost its ability to do this, indicating mutation. 
  • * Note: The lecture version differs significantly from the text book version. 
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What test did Prof. McCleary indicate as a "velvet blot test"?
answer

The Ames test.

  • Note: This is actually used in replica plating, which is distinct from the Ames test. It seems like the Ames test in our lecture was a cross between replica plating and the classic Ames test. 
  • Replica plating is a technique for testing the genetic characteristics of bacterial colonies. A dilute suspension of bacteria is spread, in a petri dish, on agar containing a medium expected to support the growth of all bacteria, the master plate. 
  • Each bacterial cell in the suspension is expected to give rise to a colony. A sterile velvet pad, the same size as the petri dish, is then pressed onto it, picking up a sample of each colony. 
  • The bacteria can then be stamped onto new sterile petri dishes in the identical arrangement. 
  • The media in the new plates can be made up to lack specific nutritional requirements or to contain antibiotics. Thus colonies can be identified that cannot grow without specific nutrients or that are antibiotic resistant and cells with mutations in particular genes can be isolated. 
    • from: biology-online.org

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  • According to lecture, does growth on both a histadine (-) and a histadine (+) plate indicate a positive or negative result in an Ames text?
answer
  • Growth on both plates indicates a negative result, chemical X is not mutagenic.
  • The wild type salmonella was able to grow without utilizing the salmonella supplied by the plate, indicating it had not mutated
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  • According to lecture, does growth on only the histadine (+) plate indiciate a positive or negative result in the Ames test?
answer
  • According to lecture, growth on only the histidine positive plate indicates a positive result on the Ames test, chemical X is mutagenic. This is conditional on the organism being wild type salmonella, not auxotrophic salmonella. 
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  • What do we call the mutated offspring of wild type salmonella that require the presence of the amino acid histidine to grow?
answer

auxotrophs or an auxotrophic form of salmonella or histidine auxotrophs.

 

or [image]

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  • A/An __________ is an organism that has a nutritional requirement not found in the parent strain.
answer
  • An auxotroph is an organism that has a nutritional requirement not found in the parent strain.
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What is an auxotroph?
answer
an organism that has a nutritional requirement not found in the parent strain.
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  • What term do we use to label the nutritional requirement of an auxotroph that was not required by the parent strain?
answer
Conditionally essential
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What does the term "conditionally essential" refer to?
answer
  • A nutrient required by the auxotrophic form of an organism, that is, an organism that has mutated from its parent stain and as a result has a nutritional requirement not seen in the parent strain. 
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  • In the case of the Ames test:
    • What is the auxotrophic form?
    •  What is conditionally essential?
answer
  • In the Ames test:
    • the mutated salmonella is the auxotrophic form
    • histidine becomes conditionally essential
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  • What do we call a nutrient that is usually produced by an organism but which in certain circumstances must be supplied by an outside source in order for the organism to survive and thrive? 
answer
  • Normally produced by the organism, in certain circumstances  a conditionally essential nutrient must be supplied by an outside source in order for the organism to survive and thrive? 
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What types of compounds must pass an Ames test?
answer
  • All chemicals that are used in human compounds, whether for ingestion or for cosmetic purposes must pass an Ames test prior to FDA approval 
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What is the Ames test used to detect?
answer
Chemicals that are mutagenic
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What is used to detect chemicals that are mutagenic?
answer
The Ames test
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What is the relationship between mutagenic substances and cancer?
answer
Many mutagenic substances are also carcinogenic, or cancer causing
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Are all mutagenic substances carcinogenic?
answer
Nope
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What type of mutation very often produces a lethal?
answer
A frameshift mutation
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Are mutations the biggest contributor to alterations in organisms?
answer
No. Mutations are not the biggest contributors to alterations in organisms.
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Is mutation propogated primarily by vertical or horizontal transmission?
answer
  • Mutation is almost excluisvely a vertical process.
  • [image]
    • During DNA replication a mutation occurs.
    • During binary fission, the mutation is passed on to one of the organism's daughter cell. 
    • That cell divides resulting in two mutated offspring.
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  • Besides mutation, what 4 mechanisms enable organisms to alter their genotype?
answer
Conjugation, Transformation, Transduction and Specialized Transduction
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  • What do we call the transfer of plasmid based information from one orangism to another?
answer
Conjugation
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What 2 attributes must the donor organism have to allow conjugation to occur?
answer
  • In order for conjugation to occur the donor organism must have a pilus and plasmid. 

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Can information for antibiotic resistance be carried on a plasmid?
answer
It definitly can.
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What is the function of a pilus?
answer
  • A pilus is used by a donor bacteria to dock with a recipient bacteria in order to facilitate the transfer of plasmid based information during conjugation.
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What do we call the process in bacteria in which genes are taken up from a dead bacterium and incorporated into a live bacteria as "naked" DNA in solution?
answer

Transformation

  • Prof. McCleary used the metaphor of a bag lady finding a coat and putting it on to describe the process by which bacteria take in :naked" DNA, or DNA from a dead bacterium, and incorporate it into their own DNA.

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What do we call the uptake of "naked" DNA by an organism?
answer
Transformation
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  • When bacteria die, what happens to the cells? How does this facilitate transformation?
answer
  • When bacterial cells die, they lose their integrity. The inside can no longer be contained by the cell wall and "everything becomes a big soup pot". 
  • This includes the now naked DNA which can be taken up by bacteria capable of transformation. 
  • [image]
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  • When a bacteria capable of transformation encounters a dead bacteria whose DNA has been released into the environment, what does it take up?
answer
  • The bacteria capable takes up the components of the dead bacteria: 
    • the neuleotide bases, the amino acid pool, the deoxyribose and ribose. 
    • it also takes up complete genes if present. 
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  • What do we call the process by which a bacteria uptakes the debris of dead organisms, inserting any useful ; intact "naked DNA" it comes across into its own genetic code.
answer
  • Transformation
    • Think of the "bag lady" coming across an elegant coat amid a pile of discarded rubbish. She puts on the coat and is "transformed". 
    • This is akin to the bacteria coming across a gene for antibiotic resistance in the debris of dead bacteria. 
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  • Does transformation contribute to the rise of antibiotic resistance, why or why not?
answer

YES! Transformation contributes to the rise of antibiotic resistance.

  • Bacteria capable of transformation in the presence of dead bacteria may enounter in those remains a gene for antibiotic resistance. 
  • They may encorporate that gene into their own genome and pass it on to their offspring.  
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Why are hospitals the "best places" to encounter super bugs?
answer
  • That is where virulent bacteria will enounter other virulent bacteria.
    • Any means of genetic transfer or recombination: Conjugation, transformation, transduction, or specialized transduction can result in the virulence factors from one organism being transferred to another organism, including antibiotic resistance. 
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What is transduction?
answer

The transfer of genetic information using a virus.

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What do we call the transfer of genetic information using a bacterial virus?
answer

Transduction 

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What do we call the type of virus that infects bacteria?
answer

Bacteriophages or phages

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What are bacteriophages or phages?

What process[es] of genetic transfer are they invovled in?

answer
  • Bacteriophages or phages are viruses that infect bacteria 
    • Bacteriophages are responsible for transduction, the transfer of genetic information from one bacterium to another using a virus. 
    • Bacteriophages are also responsible for specialized transduction,  in which only a few specific genes from one bacterial cell are transferred to the second bacterial host by a phage
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What two things must be present for transduction or specialized transduction to occur?
answer

A bacteriophage and a [competent] bacteria

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  • When _________  infect any living cell they will release their nucleic acid and then utilize the parts of the host cell to copy their own genetic code.
answer
  • When viruses infect any living cell they will release their nucleic acid and then utilize the parts of the host cell to copy their own genetic code.
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  • How do bacteriophages transmit the genetic information from one bacteria to another in the process called generalized transduction?
    • List the steps. 
answer
  • We were given a rather rough outline of the process. It was not entirely in line with the information in the text book. 
  • This information is, for the most part, from the book. 
  • Information specific to class is in brackets. 
    1. bacteriophage injects its genome into a [competent] bacteria, [getting rid of its outer coat]
    2. Phage DNA and proteins are made.
    3. An enzyme in the phage breaks down the bacteria's DNA. [Prof. M said that the phage DNA is inserted directly into the bacterial DNA. This is not in the textbook.]
    4. New phage DNA is packaged in viral protein coats, also made using the bacteria's materials. 
    5. Some of the broken down bacterial DNA may end up in a phage protein coat. This is an accidental and RANDOM occurance. 
    6. When new bacteriophages are released from the host cell,  bacteriophages inject that bacterial DNA [combined with viral according to lecture] into another bacteria.
    7. That transduced bacterial DNA becomes integrated into the host bacterium's chromosome by recombination.
  • This is the genetic transfer process of generalized transduction

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  • In what process is a very specific section of a donor bacterium's chromosome transferred to a new bacterium via bacteriophage?
answer

Specialized transduction

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In what process is a random section of a donor bacterium's chromosome transferred to a new bacterium via bacteriophage?
answer
Generalized transduction
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For what process(es) must a bacteria be made competent?
answer
  • The textbook mentions only transformation. The lecture mentioned only transduction. I aksed Prof. M. She said both require that the bacteria involved has special properties, or competence. 
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Which situation is more likely to result in a new viral infection, generalized transduction or specialized transduction?
answer
  • According to lecture, generlized transduction is more likely to result in a viral infection becase in specialized transduction not all of the necessary viral DNA has been copied. 
  • The book indicates something different. It's a little puzzling. 
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