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level: Level 1

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level questions: Level 1

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alkaptonuriahis is a non-fatal disorder where a person’s urine turns black because they cannot break down a molecule called alkapton (which, in normal people without the disorder, gets broken down into other, colorless molecules)
Sir Archibald Garrod,a British medical doctor, was the first to suggest that genes were connected to enzymes. the first to have linked genes with the enzymes that carry out metabolic reactions.
“inborn error of metabolism,”are rare genetic (inherited) disorders in which the body cannot properly turn food into energy. The disorders are usually caused by defects in specific proteins (enzymes) that help break down (metabolize) parts of food.
"one gene-one enzyme” hypothesis. This hypothesis has undergone some important updates since Beadle and Tatum1. Some genes encode proteins that are not enzymes. Enzymes are just one category of protein. There are many non-enzyme proteins in cells, and these proteins are also encoded by genes. 2. Some genes encode a subunit of a protein, not a whole protein. In general, a gene encodes one polypeptide, meaning one chain of amino acids. Some proteins consist of several polypeptides from different genes 3. Some genes don't encode polypeptides. Some genes actually encode functional RNA molecules rather than polypeptides!
core idea for one gene-one enzyme isthat a gene typically specifies a protein in a one-to-one relationship
Geneticsis the study of inherited traits, including those partially influenced by environment
Genomicsis the study of all the genes in an organism to understand their molecular organization, function, interaction, and evolutionary history
Genesare the basic elements of heredity
Gregor MendelThe existence of genes was first suggested by the work of Gregor Mendel in 1866
Classical geneticsis the approach to the study of genetics through analysis of the offspring of matings
Friedrich Miescherdiscovered DNA in leukocytes in 1869
Molecular geneticsis the analysis of differences between species through the study of DNA itself
1870sThe importance of cell nuclei was recognized when it was observed that they undergo fusion in fertilization of male and female gametes
1900sThe importance of chromosomes was deduced from their „splitting“ behavior during cell division and their constant number characteristic for every species
Early 20th centurychromosomes contain DNA and protein The kinds of protein present differ by cell type DNA was thought to lack the chemical diversity needed for the genetic material The diversity of proteins was the reason for the belief that they are the genetic material This was proven wrong in a series of experiments
Frederick Griffith (1928)he demonstrated that the genetic material can be transferred from living R cells into killed S cells made them able again to cause the illness in mouse.
Avery, MacLeod and McCarty (1944)showed that the substance causing the transformation of R cells into S cells was DNA, so that DNA is the genetic material.
Hershey and Chase, the „blender“ experiment (1952)experiment demonstrating that DNA is the active material in bacterial transformation.
James Watson and Francis Crick (1953)Right-handed (B-form) DNA structure Double-stranded molecule Duplex polarity and base complementarity (Watson-Crick base-pairing)
Three conclusions on the properties of DNA:DNA is capable of replication through complementary base pairing The order of bases in a DNA molecule is the source of variation Mutations arise from mistakes in copying DNA
Proteinsare made according to instructions given in DNA sequence
Variety functions of ProteinsTrafficking Structure Signalling and receptor molecules Metabolic processes Enzymatic role
Enzymeswere first defined as proteins by Emil Fischer in 1900 and led to define inborn errors of metabolism
The S type of S. pneumoniaesynthesizes a gelatinous capsule composed of complex carbohydrate (polysaccharide) appear large glistening and smooth capable of causing illness
The R strains of S. pneumoniae areunable to synthesize the capsular polysaccharide and that's why they look small and rough not causing illness
The R strain of the bacterium does not cause pneumonia, becausewithout the capsule the bacteria are inactivated by the immune system of the host.
bacteriophage,bacteria-eater
DNA containsphosphorus but no sulfur
most proteins containsulfur but no phosphorus
In the Watson-Crick structureDNA consists of two long chains of subunits, each twisted around the other to form a double-stranded helix.
The double helix is right-handed, meaningDNA is moving in clockwise direction
The subunits of each strand arenucleotides
DNA is running in which directionsopposite directions from 5'-3' or from 3'-5'
why proteins are importantWhat is created from the complex and diverse DNA codes is protein, a class of macromolecules that carries out most of the biochemical activities in the cell.
Archibald GarrodGarrod worked with patients who had metabolic diseases and saw that these diseases often ran in families.
Griffith's Experimentstudied on streptococcus pneumonia which is bacteria capable of causing pneumonia in mouse ex. When SP is grown in medium it can grow in two different strains. 1st is R strain and S strain. 1. Injecting solution of living S cells of SP to mouse, developing pneumonia and killed the mouse. When blood was taken and grown on nutrient medium S cells could be seen injected previously 2. Injecting solution of living R strain cells of SP to mouse, didn't develop pneumonia and the mouse was alive. When blood was taken and grown on nutrient medium R cells could be seen injected previously 3. Injecting solution of heat killed S cells in which cells were completely dead and inactivated unable to cause illness, of SP to mouse, didn't develop pneumonia and the mouse was alive. When blood was taken and grown on nutrient medium nothing could be seen. 4. Injecting solution of living R cells + heat killed S cells of SP to mouse, develop pneumonia and the mouse was dead. When blood was taken and grown on nutrient medium mixture of living R cells and S cells.
Structure of DNA was debatedJames Watson and Francis Crick-stated that DNA is double stranded molecule Franklin Wilkins
why James and Francis were importanthad amazing X-ray images of DNA but they weren't sure how to understand the images. Their papers were full of disagreement or confusions about DNA structure being double or triple stranded molecule. Duplex or triplex molecule.
why Linus Pauling was wrongphosphate groups are negatively charged and they reject each other its impossible for them to come together in the core of the DNA.
Explain what happens in alkaptonuria and why there is a problem and what is this problemIt occurs when your body can’t produce enough of an enzyme called homogentisic dioxygenase (HGD). This enzyme is used to break down a toxic substance called homogentisic acid. When you don’t produce enough HGD, homogentisic acid builds up in your body. People with alkaptonuria also have urine that turns dark brown or black when it’s exposed to air
Alkaptonuria is caused by a mutation on your which gene or which gene will be inactivehomogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene
explain what is PKUPhenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare genetic condition that causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to build up in the body. Phenylalanine hydroxylase is an enzyme your body uses to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine, which your body needs to create neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. PKU is caused by a defect in the gene that helps create phenylalanine hydroxylase. When this enzyme is missing, your body can’t break down phenylalanine. This causes a buildup of phenylalanine in your body.
which disease has much more severe consequencePKU
Beadle and Tatum (1940s) were interested in and question about whatinterested to find out what would happen as consequences of inducing different mutations to Neurospora crassa. They questioned If these spores were irradiated by X ray or Uv light was it going to be possible that will affect their metabolism in a way they would need something additional grow except those 3 components.
Red mold can be cultivated easily only with 3 componentsugar, salt and biotin.
Why did Beadle and Tatum chose to study with Neurospora crassahad a fast and convenient life cycle, one with both haploid and diploid phases that made it easy to do genetic experiments
support for growth and developmental of Neurospora crassa which medium is used and whythe cells could grow on minimal medium, a nutrient source with just sugar, salts, and one vitamin (biotin). That's because Neurospora has biochemical pathways that turn sugar, salts, and biotin into all the other building blocks needed by cells (such as amino acids and vitamins).
Beadle and Tatum (1940s) studies on Neurospora crassa experimentBeadle and Tatum exposed Neurospora spores to radiation (x-ray, UV, or neutron) to make new mutations. The treated spores were used to start the sexual cycle in fruiting bodies. After any pair of cells and their nuclei undergo fusion, meiosis takes place almost immediately and results in eight sexual spores (ascospores) included in a single ascus. These are removed individually grew them individually in test tubes containing complete medium. Once each spore had established a growing colony, a small piece of the colony was transferred into another tube containing minimal medium.
What did Beadle and Tatum identifiedidentified new mutations that each caused a block in the metabolic pathway for the synthesis of some needed nutrient, and showed that each of these blocks corresponded to a defective enzyme needed for one step in the pathway.
One class of arginine-requiring mutants, designated Class I,was able to grow in minimal medium supplemented with either ornithine, citrulline, or arginine.
. Other mutants, designated Class IIwere able to grow in minimal medium supplemented with either citrulline or arginine, but not ornithine.
A third class, Class III,was able to grow only in minimal medium supplemented with arginine
one gene, one enzyme hypothesisidea that each gene encodes a single enzyme.
To figure out which metabolic pathway was "broken" in each mutant, Beadle and Tatum performed 3 StepsFirst, they grew each mutant on minimal medium supplemented with either the full set of amino acids or the full set of vitamins (or sugars, though we won't examine that case here). If a mutant grew on minimal medium with amino acids (but not vitamins), it must be unable to make one or more amino acids. If a mutant grew on the vitamin medium but not the amino acid medium, it must be unable to make one or more vitamins. If a mutant grew on minimal medium containing all 20 amino acids, they might next test it in 20different vials, each containing minimal medium plus just one of the 20 amino acids. If the mutant grew in one of these vials, Beadle and Tatum knew that the amino acid in that vial must be the end product of the pathway disrupted in the mutant
mutationto any heritable change in a gene (or, more generally, in the genetic material) or to the process by which such a change takes place.
One type of mutation resultsin a change in the sequence of bases in DNA.
how can the change in mutation be simplesuch as the substitution of one pair of bases in a duplex molecule for a different pair of bases
how can the change in nucleotide sequence may also be more complexsuch as the deletion or addition of base pairs
different mutations can give rise to phenylketonuria which results in change ofone/single base pair
One gene can affect more than one traitPleiotropy PKU = fair skin/blonde hair low concentration of pigment
phenylalanine is degraded intotyrosine (if enzymes are functional) = precursor for the synthesis of melanin pigment, pleiotropy occurred the children with PKU are not capable of producing tyrosine is not been broken down.
Any trait can be affected by more than one genepolygenic or multigenic inheritance ex: Same Phenylalanine levels in blood but different PKU severity levels, genes regulated blood barrier can be functioning different ways. blood-brain barrier is necessary to limit the movement of water soluble molecules from the blood into the brain. Limiting the movement the phenylalanine into the brain so less severe consequences will be in neural development will be better.
Most traits are affected by environmental factors as well as genesPKU can be made less severe in case of Phe-low diet