Download BIL 107 – Introduction to Evolution

BIL 107 – Introduction to Evolution
STUDY GUIDE FOR EXAM II
The second exam will cover material in Chapters 5 and 6 plus lectures 6-11 and the film
(“Darwin and the Tree of Life”) you saw in class. The following checklist should help you
focus on what’s most important, but don’t think of it as a substitute for reading the notes
and text!
What are Genes?
Know the general organization of life, from smallest to largest unit. Know what constitutes
an atom, molecule, macromolecuile, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, etc.
What is the smallest living thing?
Know what these are: nucleic acids (DNA and RNA, and what the main differences are
between them), protein, carbohydrates, lipids. Each of these is a long chain. What are the
specific types of subunits that make up each type of the four biological macromolecules?
Know what these are: sugars, amino acids, nucleic acids, nitrogenous bases (A, T, C, and
G). Know the significance of the nitrogenous bases in terms of the DNA code. (i.e., what
does each three “letters” on the DNA represent to the cell?)
What are some functions of these four biological macromolecules?
Know the difference between a structural and a functional protein.
Know what is meant by primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a protein.
Know the meaning of: DNA, nucleotide (what are the four “letters” of the DNA
“alphabet”?), gene, allele, (Know the difference between a gene and an allele) enzyme,
substrate, genome (how many copies of the genome in a normal body cell? A gamete?)
Know the basic (double helix) structure of the DNA, which portion holds the code, and how
the four bases fit together (A to T and G to C).
Know the meaning/significance of: chromosome, centromere, locus karyotype, sex
chromosome, autosome, diploid, haploid, ploidy, codon, triplet code
Gene Expression
Know the basic roles of DNA, messenger RNA, and ribosomes in terms of
gene expression (= protein synthesis)
Know how to read the genetic code table (don’t memorize it! Just
understand how to read it)
Know what is meant by:
homozygous vs. heterozygous (trait)
mutant vs. wild type (trait)
dominant vs. recessive (alleles)
monogenic vs. polygenic (traits)
Know the basic significance of mitosis and meiosis and why they are
different:
Which one results in two identical, diploid cells?
Which one results in four non-identical, haploid cells?
Is meiosis the same in males and females? If not, what is the MAINE
difference?
In which one(s) must DNA be replicated before cell division?
Know what is meant by: mitosis, meiosis, parent cell, daughter cell,
gametogenesis, gamete, sperm, egg (ovum), zygote, blastula, gastrula,
blastopore, endoderm, ectoderm
Know what is meant by “Nature vs. Nurture”
What was Gregor Mendel’s contribution to our knowledge of evolution?
Mutations: Raw Material of Evolution
Know the difference between physiological (biological) adaptations and
evolutionary adaptations. Be able to recognize examples by knowing those
differences/definitions.
Know what is meant by mutation, mutagen, carcinogen, mutagenesis
Know the significance/difference between somatic and germline mutations,
and which one is more likely to be of direct evolutionary consequence.
Know the meaning of: point mutation, deletion, insertion, substitution
Know what is meant by silent mutation, lethal mutation, deleterious
(harmful) mutation
Know some of the ways that mutations can happen.
Know the meaning/significance of: heterozygote advantage, euploidy vs.
aneuploidy (monosomy, trisomy, nullisomy), polyploidy
What is the genetic cause of Down Syndrome? Turner Syndrome?
Klinefelter Syndrome?
Which is more harmful, a mutation of a sex chromosome or a mutation of
an autosome?
Have there ever been examples, seen in our lifetime, of speciation?
(Remember the Goatsbeard plants! How did their interbreeding produce
new species?)
Know what is meant by: hybrid, homozygosity, heterozygosity, hybrid
vigor, heterozygote advantage
Know what is meant by inbreeding vs. outbreeding, and the likely genetic
consequences of each.
Factors that Drive Evolution
Know the five criteria that must be met in order for a population to NOT
evolve. What will happen if any of these criteria is/are not met?
Know the meaning/significance of: species, population, deme, gene pool,
microevolution vs. macroevolution
Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life
This movie was mostly a re-cap of what you already know. But I will ask a
few questions about it. If you would like to review it, I have provided links
to the film on YouTube that you can access at the course site where the
lecture notes are linked. They won’t be HARD questions. Just questions to
make sure you were paying attention. 
Forces that Drive Evolution and Measuring Evolutionary Change
Know what is meant by: population genetics, polymorphism (what kinds of
polymorphism are there in populations?), and the significance of that
polymorphism.
How does a population geneticist measure change in the genes of a
population over time? (What is measured?)
Know the evolutionary meaning/significance of: genetic drift, Founder
Effect, Bottleneck Effect, small population size vs. large population size
Know what is meant by: random mating, positive assortative vs. negative
assortative mating. (Which of these last two is more likely to mimic genetic
drift? What are the genetic consequences of each?)
Know the evolutionary meaning/significance of: migration (immigration vs.
emigration to/from a deme). How can migration (or lack thereof) mimic
genetic drift?
Know the meaning/significance of gene flow and its effect on a population’s
gene pool?
Know the meaning/significance of: hybrid zone, introgression, speciation
via hybridization
Know the meaning/significance of natural selection. Know what is meant by
each of Darwin’s four tenets of evolution by means of natural selection
(Overproduction, Variability, Competition, Differential Reproduction)
Know the precise meaning of evolutionary fitness.
Know the meaning/signficance of traits that are adaptive, maladaptive, and
neutral.
REMEMBER: This guide is no more than a checklist. If you came to class,
you know there is more to this than memorization. You will do well on the
exam if you understand how the pieces of this puzzle all fit together. I am
most interested in your comprehension of the evolutionary process than I
am in increasing your vocabulary!
Don’t forget the review session on Monday, October 18 starting at
2:30pm in Cox 145. We’ll have the room available until 4:30pm, but if no
one is left, you’ll have to come find me in my office (Cox 110B, in the
hallway between room 102 and 110 off the main lobby) to ask questions if
you’ve missed the Main Event.