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16 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What does DNA stand for? |
Deoxyribonucleic acid |
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What does it contain? |
Genes. It contains all the instruction to put an organism together and make it work. |
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Where is DNA found? |
It's found in the nucleus of animal and plant cells, in really long molecules called chromosomes. |
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What is a gene? |
A section of DNA - it tells cells in which order to string the amino acids to form a specific protein. |
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How do cells make proteins? |
By stringing amino acids together in a particular order. |
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How many different amino acids are used when cells make proteins? |
20, but they are joined in thousands of different combinations to form thousands of different proteins. |
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What does DNA also determine? |
What proteins the cell produces (e.g. Haemoglobin and keratin). This, in turn, determines what type of cell it is (e.g. Red blood cell, skin cell, etc) |
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Fill the blanks: Almost everyone's DNA is _ _ _ _ _ _. |
Almost everyone's DNA is unique. |
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What is DNA fingerprinting? |
It's a way of cutting up a person's DNA into small sections and then separating them. Everyone's DNA fingerprint has a unique pattern unless their identical twins or clone? |
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What is DNA fingerprinting used in? |
1) forensic science 2) paternity testing |
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How is DNA fingerprinting used in forensic science? |
DNA taken from a crime scene is compared with a DNA sample taken from a suspect. The DNA fingerprint is compared with several suspects and the one that matches was at the crime scene. |
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How is DNA fingerprinting used in paternity testing? |
The father's DNA fingerprint is compared with the father. If it matches, they are the father. |
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What is the main issue of having a national genetic database? |
It's a big invasion of privacy and they worry about how safe the data would be and what else it might be used for. There are also scientific problems - false positives can occur if errors are made in the procedure or if the data is misinterpreted. |
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What can you find in a DNA fingerprint? |
1) Mutations in genes 2) 'Genetic markers' - they can identify where a person is from. 3) The presence of genes that can cause disorders or make something like cancer more likely. |
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What would be the advantages of having a national genetic database? |
1) You can discover the identities of criminals more easily. 2) May make finding a specific gene (that slows aging, makes cells resistant to cancer, etc) easier. |
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What are the stages of getting a DNA fingerprint? |
1) Obtain a cellular sample (blood or tissue). 2) Treat it with detergent to rupture the cell membrane and obtain DNA. 3) DNA is split into fragments using restriction enzymes. 4) Gel electrophoresis is used to separate the fragments. |
