| What changes during evolution | - Organism's phenotypes + molecular structure |
| DNA determines | - The proteins of an organism including its enzymes which determine the features of an organism |
| Different techniques in comparing genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships | - Observable characteristics
- Base sequence of DNA (genome sequencing)
- Base sequence of mRNA
- Amino acid sequence of proteins |
| Observable characteristics | - How genetic diversity was observed in the past
- Observable characteristics determined by genes (with environmental influences)
- Variety within characteristics depends on no. + variety of alleles of that gene (+ environmental influences) |
| Problem with using observable characteristics | - Many characteristics coded by more than 1 gene, polygenic
- Vary continuously, difficult to distinguish 1 from another
- Characteristics can be modified by environment |
| Base sequence of DNA (genome sequencing) | - DNA base sequence of 1 organism can be compared with another, to see how closely related they are
- Closely related species will have higher % of similarity in their DNA base order
- Comparing DNA base sequences of the same gene in different organisms in pop.
- Can see how many alleles of that gene are in pop. |
| Base sequence of mRNA | - mRNA is coded by for by DNA
- Base seq. on mRNA are complementary to those of the strand of DNA from which they were made
- We can measure diversity by comparing the base seq. of mRNA |
| Amino acid sequence of proteins | - Sequence of amino acids determined by base seq.
- Related organisms have similar DNA sequences, so similar amino acid sequences in their proteins
- The more similar to more closely related |
| Immunological comparisons | - Similar proteins will also bind to the same antibodies
- Antibodies of one species will respond to specific antigens on proteins such as albumin in the blood serum of another |
| Serum | - Clear liquid that is left after blood has clotted and the clot has been removed
- So, its blood plasma without the clotting factors |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (1) | - HUMAN SERUM IS EXTRACTED |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (2) | - THIS IS INJECTED INTO THE RABBIT |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (3) | - THE RABBIT PRODUCES ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE ANTIGENS IN THE HUMAN SERUM |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (4) | - THE RABBITS SERUM CONTAINING THE ANTIBODIES IS EXTRACTED |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (5) | - THE RABBIT ANTIBODIES CAUSES THE ANTIGENS IN THE SERUM TO PRECIPITATE |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (6) | - THE EXTRACTED RABBIT SERUM IS THE MIXED WITH SERUM FROM OTHER SPECIES. (E.G. GORILLA,CHIMP) |
| Process of immunological comparison of proteins (7) | - THE MORE RELATED THE TWO SPECIES ARE THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF ANTIGENS THEY HAVE IN COMMON SO THE GREATER THE AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION |
