Download Mutation article assignment

Name: __________________________________
Errors in the code: Albinism, Polydactyl and Myostatin Inhibition
A World Without Color
1. ____ albino
2.____ pigments
3.____ melanin
4.____ alleles
5.____ carrier
6____ genes
7.____ phenotype
8.____ UV rays
A. chemical compounds that absorb light
B. having one copy of a mutant gene
C. sequence of DNA that specifies a particular product or function
D. organisms that have this condition lack any measurable pigments in their skin
E. an organism’s physical appearance. This is what you see with your eyes.
F. different forms of a gene for the same trait
G. this pigment controls the color of your skin, hair and eyes
H. emissions from the sun that can damage skin and the DNA within cells
9. The probability of a human being having albinism is about ______________________________.
10. Explain how two organisms with normal skin pigmentation can have an albino offspring.
11. Provide two reasons (from the article) why you do not see many albino animals
in the wild.
Why don’t some people
like albino turkeys?
12. How is a reptile’s metabolism tied to its skin color? How does albinism affect
reptiles?
13. There are many types of albino animals. Would you expect there to be albino
plants? (Think about what being “white” would mean for a plant). Explain your
answer.
Famous Cats Fenced In
14. Explain what polydactyl is.
15. How many copies of the gene for polydactyl are required to get extra toes? How is this different
than the albinism trait?
Spare Parts
16. What is the probability of people being born with an extra digit? How come we do not see this more
often?
The Incredible Bulk
17. Explain, in detail, why “Wendy the Whippet” is so muscular?
18. How could we use our knowledge of the mutant myostatin gene to help people?