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GENES AND DEVELOPMENT
Lecture 11/9. Regulating protein synthesis: operons
Define and distinguish between: repressor, inducer, co-repressor, operon,
operator.
Explain why it is generally advantageous to a prokaryotic cell to be able to
regulate the synthesis of specific proteins; describe a specific example.
Explain the mechanism by which an inducer molecule can increase the rate of
synthesis of a specific protein or group of proteins; predict what happens to the
rate of synthesis if any given element of the mechanism is lost.
Explain the mechanism by which a molecule can repress (turn off) the rate of
synthesis of a specific group of enzymes in a bacterium; predict what happens to
the rate of synthesis if any given element of the mechanism is lost.
Lecture 11/13. Regulating protein synthesis: eukaryotes
Suggest a possible mechanism by which a eukaryotic cell type might differentiate
into several other cell types; explain how regulation of protein synthesis is
important in such differentiation.
Define and distinguish between: intron, exon; nRNA, mRNA; transcription, RNA
processing, exon splicing.
Describe how the process of gene expression in eukaryotes differs from that in
prokaryotes in a) preparation of DNA for transcription; b) separation of
transcription and translation; c) the mechanisms of control of transcription; d) the
number of steps needed between the initiation of transcription and the
appearance of the gene product in the proper location; e) the coordination of
control of expression of genes in different cell compartments; f) the need for
targeting of protein to different regions of the cell.
Explain possible advantages and disadvantages of alternative splicing of a
particular nRNA.
Lecture 11/18. Cell communication and development
Describe a situation in which signals play a part in coordinating bacterial
responses to environmental changes; describe situations in which signals
coordinate eukaryotic responses to the external environment and to the internal
environment.
List at least six signals that serve as intermediates between stimuli and cell
responses.
Describe a signal cascade; explain the role of a cascade in amplifying a signal.
Explain why many receptors that recognize stimuli are found on the plasma
membrane.
Lecture 11/20, 23. Immunity.
Explain the basic technique for producing antibodies in animals; recognize
examples of materials that will and will not induced antibody formation; describe
the "memory" response.
Define agglutination and precipitation and explain how they are caused by
antibodies; explain how agglutination is related to ABO blood types.
Explain how clonal selection relates to the development of antibodies.
Explain the origin of genes for antibodies of different specificities.
Distinguish where possible between TC cells, TH cells, B cells, phagocytes,
plasma cells and antibody-presenting cells.
Explain the relationship between humoral immunity (the antibody response) and
cellular immunity.
Lecture 11/25. Mitosis and meiosis
Describe the stages of the cell cycle in a eukaryote, noting especially the relative
amounts of DNA at each stage.
Define and distinguish between the terms: mitosis, cytokinesis, karyokinesis;
chromosomes, chromatids; prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase,
interphase; centriole, centromere, spindle.
Explain the function of mitosis in the cell cycle.
Diagram mitosis, showing in particular the division of the chromosomes.
Given appropriate diagrams, recognize each stage of mitosis.
Compare karyokinesis in plants and animal; compare cytokinesis in plants and
animals.
Contrast the function of meiosis with that of mitosis.
Define and distinguish between the terms: mitosis, meiosis, reduction division,
equation division; somatic cells, gametes; synapsis, chiasma, chiasmata;
homologous, non-homologous, tetrad; diploid, haploid; prophase I, prophase II,
metaphase I, metaphase II, etc.
Diagram meiosis, showing the division of homologous chromatids during the
process and noting relative amounts of DNA and number of chromosomes and
chromatids.
Given appropriate diagrams, recognize each stage of meiosis; distinguish where
possible between diagrams showing mitosis and meiosis.
Explain how meiosis produces gametes with different combinations of
chromosomes.
Lecture 11/30. Origins of cellularity
Explain the reason why cellularity is though to be important in the origin of life;
explain how surface chemistry might provide an alternative.
Define the term “protobiont.”
List characteristics that distinguish eukaryotes from prokaryotes.
Explain the “endosymbiotic hypothesis”: how symbiotic relationships can explain
the origin of mitochondria and plastids; describe evidence that mitochondria and
plastids actually arose through a symbiotic association; explain the question of
whether organelles in different organisms arose through one, or several,
endosymbiotic events and suggest a method for answering the question.
Lecture 12/2. Origins of heredity
Distinguish between the origin of life, the origin of cells, and the origin of genes;
support the arguments that life, cells, and genes must have (and must not have)
occurred together.
Describe the molecule that is currently thought to have formed the first gene;
explain the reasoning for this idea.
Outline the hypothetical process for associating amino acids with codons, as it
was described in lecture.
Describe two ways in which genomes might evolve to promote efficient
transcription; discuss the alternative