Chapter 14: Gene Expression
Explain how genes are expressed
Define what a gene is
List the sections of DNA, the types of RNA, the proteins and enzymes involved in gene expression and explain their function in the process
Describe the characteristics of the genetic code
Describe and compare prokaryotic transcription with eukaryotic transcription
Explain the process of splicing and its implication for gene expression
Summarize the steps that take place for genes to be expressed and how the differ between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Explain the different types of mutations and relate it to the severity of their effects.
Chapter Sec. 5.6: Cell Communication
List the function of ligand, receptor and signal transduction in cell communication
Explain what is phosphorylation and how cells use it
Compare the signaling transduction pathway of hydrophobic and hydrophilic signals
Compare cell-surface and intracellular receptors
Relate cell signaling with gene expression regulation
Chapter 15: Control of Gene Expression
Explain how gene expression is controlled
Describe the difference in control of gene expression between eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
Explain how regulatory proteins (activators, repressors) work
Describe the parts of the DNA involved in regulation (promoter and enhancer regions)
Contrast control of gene expression by repression with control by induction
Identify the mechanisms for gene expression control in the lac and trp operons.
Explain what transcription factors and regulatory proteins are and how they regulate gene expression in eukaryotes.
Describe how chromatin structure (DNA methylation and histone modification) can affect gene expression
Explain the process of protein degradation and its purpose
Contrast the mechanisms regulating gene expression depending on when they act on: 1) regulating transcription, 2) posttranscriptionally (regulating the mRNA and protein synthesis) and posttranslationally (regulation of protein degradation)
Chapter 10: Meiosis
Explain why meiosis is fundamental in sexual reproduction
Contrast meiosis I to meiosis II, describing how homologous chromosomes pair and then divide
Describe the process of crossing over and its importance in genetic recombination
Explain the events in meiosis that result in genetic variation
Identify the differences between meiosis and mitosis
Explain the consequences that mistakes during meiosis can have for the future offspring
Chapter 11: Mendel and the Gene Idea
Explain the principle of segregation and its relation to meiosis
Distinguish between: gene, allele and gene locus
Predict the outcome of a monohybrid cross
Distinguish between phenotype and genotype
Identify dominant and recessive alleles using pedigrees
Explain what makes an allele dominant or recessive
Apply the rules of probability to infer genotypes from test crosses
Define the concepts of polygenic inheritance and pleiotropy
List and explain other factors that interfere with Mendel’s predictions.
Chapter 12: Chromosomes and Inheritance
Relate the events that occur in meiosis with Mendel’s Principles of Independent Assortment and Segregation
Predict the outcome of a cross of a trait with sex-linkage inheritance
Identify sex-linkage inheritance in a pedigree
Explain dosage compensation and its effects on the phenotype
Explain why distance in the genetic map affects recombination and its relation to crossing over during meiosis
Chapter 19: Descent with modification
Evaluate whether what we know about genetics supports Lamark’s theory of evolution
Describe the evidence about evolution and Natural Selection available at Darwin’s time and now
Explain the observations that Darwin made and the conclusions that he reached from that evidence.
Explain natural selection, artificial selection, convergent evolution and homologous structures
Describe the scientific evidence supporting evolution by Natural Selection
Chapter 21: Evolution of populations
Explain the importance of genetic variation in a population
What does it mean for a population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
Explain how the Hardy-Weinberg equation allows to find evidence of evolution
Describe the five processes that change the genetic composition of populations
Define fitness in evolutionary terms
Define frequency-dependent selection, oscillating selection, and heterozygous advantage and how they affect the genetic composition of population
Define the three kinds of selection
Chapter 22: Origin of Species
Explain how are species defined under the biological species concept
Explain the problems with the biological species concept and how an ecological species concept can be more useful in some cases
Describe the kinds of reproductive isolation and give examples of each.
Explain the mechanisms that can lead to speciation
Compare allopatric and sympatric speciation, what mechanisms are at play in each?
Apply the concepts of speciation to identify what possible processes may have led to speciation in a case study
Ch. 16 section: 16.1
Formulate the relationship between cell division and development
Explain how gene expression is related to the process by which cells become committed to a developmental path
Ch. 18 sections: 18.3, Fig. 18.5, 18.5, 18.6
Explain what genome variation tell us about evolution
Explain how mutations contribute to evolution
Explain the connection between genes, embryonic development and evolution
Ch. 23 sections: 23.3, 23.4.
Explain how small changes in developmental genes can produce large changes in body form
Explain what do we mean by ‘evolution is not goal oriented’
Chapter 20: Secs. 20.1 & 20.3
Define what a phylogeny represents
Explain the difference between homologous and analogous traits.
Use a phylogeny to identify which traits are homologous and which traits are analogous.
Use a phylogeny to identify the common ancestor or a given group.
Use the concept of parsimony to infer the evolution of traits.