BIO0 Week 3 DQ 1 24

Craig Venter made a new life form (a bacterium) from scratch – essentially from computer database, and a few bottles of chemicals:

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0521/J.-Craig-Venter-Institute-creates-first-synthetic-life-form

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/science/21cell.html

If these and other such DNA-based technologies become widely used, how might they change the way evolution proceeds, as compared with the natural evolutionary mechanisms of the past almost 4 billion years?

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Answer the following questions, in a total of 500 to 700 words.

– Describe the structure of DNA and the steps of protein synthesis.

– Describe the relationships between the following terms:

– DNA

– Chromatin material

– Gene

– Chromosome

– Use the following gene in protein synthesis:

TAGGACCATTTTAGCCCC

– Show the mRNA.

– Show the tRNA.

– Name the amino acids that will be placed in the polypeptide chain. (Use the codon table in Ch. 17 of Campbell Biology.)

– A gene will direct the making of polypeptide chains, and polypeptide chains form proteins. All enzymes are proteins. Therefore, how would you explain carrying a gene for a trait that does not show up in the offspring?

– In order for DNA to pass genetic information to the next generation, DNA must replicate successfully. Mistakes in replication could result in major problems in heredity.

– Explain how DNA replicates.

– Describe the formation of the leading strand and lagging strand and include the enzymes involved.

Why do the legs replicate differently?

There is a fierce competition among individuals within any species, humans included, to gain access to reproductive privileges. The “fittest” – a term that signifies the largest, prettiest, and most sexually attractive members, succeed in predominantly mating and having offspring, while the less attractive ones often do not. What is the role of such sexual selection from an evolutionary standpoint?

Instead of engaging in fights over potential mates, what would be the problem of simply mating with family members, say, siblings and other relatives? Isn’t this a more efficient way to spread genes, without the added peril of having to find potential mates, which could be a dangerous, strenuous, and uncertain activity? Why not take that and “run?”