GENETICS Chapter 1 Homework
1. Define genotype and phenotype, and describe how they are related.
Genotype is the genetic make-up, the inheritable information, which comprises an individual organism. It is the code that is copied in reproduction and is passed from 1 generation to the next. It serves as the main guide in the growth, development and maintenance of a living organism; it also controls the formation of certain proteins and regulation of metabolism and synthesis. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene and genotype refer to a specific allele like hair color, height, skin tone, etc. These observable traits are the phenotype. Phenotype is the resulting characteristic of an encoded genotype; it is what we can see, it’s the physical appearance of an organism.
Genotype defines what will be the phenotype. 1Say for example, eye color. This is controlled by a single gene, but with several alleles.
Example:
Phenotype
Genotype; Allele
Dominant Trait- B
Brown Eyes
BB. Bb
Recessive Trait-
Blue Eyes bb The dominant trait means that whenever there is a copy of B, then this trait will be observable in the organism. Meaning, if one has an allele of either BB, his genotype will be homozygous dominant, therefore, his phenotype will be brown eyes. It can be concluded that phenotype is directly relevant to the genotype of an individual. Genotype is the code that defines what the phenotype will be.
5. Given the state of knowledge at the time of Avery, Macleod, and McCarty experiment, why was it difficult for some scientists to accept that DNA is the carrier of genetic information?
Avery and his colleagues conducted a study to prove that DNA was indeed the carrier of the genetic data, not protein, as most scientist of that time would assume. Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, was the subject of Avery’s experiment. These non-virulent bacteria had 2 types that do not convert spontaneously among each other, but when injected to a mice died. This
Genotype is the genetic make-up, the inheritable information, which comprises an individual organism. It is the code that is copied in reproduction and is passed from 1 generation to the next. It serves as the main guide in the growth, development and maintenance of a living organism; it also controls the formation of certain proteins and regulation of metabolism and synthesis. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene and genotype refer to a specific allele like hair color, height, skin tone, etc. These observable traits are the phenotype. Phenotype is the resulting characteristic of an encoded genotype; it is what we can see, it’s the physical appearance of an organism.
Genotype defines what will be the phenotype. 1Say for example, eye color. This is controlled by a single gene, but with several alleles.
Example:
Phenotype
Genotype; Allele
Dominant Trait- B
Brown Eyes
BB. Bb
Recessive Trait-
Blue Eyes bb The dominant trait means that whenever there is a copy of B, then this trait will be observable in the organism. Meaning, if one has an allele of either BB, his genotype will be homozygous dominant, therefore, his phenotype will be brown eyes. It can be concluded that phenotype is directly relevant to the genotype of an individual. Genotype is the code that defines what the phenotype will be.
5. Given the state of knowledge at the time of Avery, Macleod, and McCarty experiment, why was it difficult for some scientists to accept that DNA is the carrier of genetic information?
Avery and his colleagues conducted a study to prove that DNA was indeed the carrier of the genetic data, not protein, as most scientist of that time would assume. Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, was the subject of Avery’s experiment. These non-virulent bacteria had 2 types that do not convert spontaneously among each other, but when injected to a mice died. This