BIOL371 GENOMICS, PLASTICITY, COEVOLUTION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
VERIFIED GRADED A++
The ecological _ and the evolutionary _
theatre, play
Nothing makes sense in biology except in the light of _
evolution
Define ecology
Scientific study of the distribution and abundance of species and the abiotic/biotic
factors that determine this
Key difference between genetics and genomics
Scale
Genetics looks at a few loci on few chromosomes
Genomics looks at many loci on many chromosomes
- Provides a much more comprehensive assessment of genetic variation
Timeline of genetic approaches: 1960's, 1980's, 2000's
1960's: Protein electrophoresis
1980's: DNA amplification
2000's: Next generation/high throughput sequencing
Describe protein electrophoresis
,Grind up cells to extract DNA
Place in gel
DNA separates according to structure
Identifies polymorphisms in protein structure
Used to infer population genetic variation
Describe DNA amplification
DNA polymerase introduced to allow for amplification
Enable determination of genetic code of proteins
Gene sequencing
Restriction site variation
Microsatellites
SNP's
Describe restriction site variation
Differences among genome DNA sequences at sites recognized by restriction enzymes
Describe microsatellites
Repetitive segments of DNA scattered with 'junk' regions
Describe SNP's
Short nucleotide polymorphisms
A genomic variant at a single base position (abnormalities)
Describe next generation sequencing
Cheaply and quickly assesses a species genome
GBS: genotype by sequencing
Whole genome sequencing
,What is the modern synthesis
Darwin's theory of natural selection combined with Mendel's ideas on heredity
- How we currently under stand evolution
Darwin:
Individuals have a range of phenotypes, at least some of that variation is from
parents: TRUE/FALSE
TRUE
Darwin:
Fitness is unrelated to phenotype: TRUE/FALSE
FALSE
Fitness (how many off spring are produced) is a function of phenotype
Describe fitness
The amount of off spring individuals are able to produce
Darwin's theory of blending inheritance was well accepted: TRUE/FALSE
FALSE
- It was quickly rejected by mathematicians as it would result in rapid homogenization
Mendel's description of an allele compared to today's description of an allele
Mendel: Variant of a single gene which can vary and has been inherited
Today: A polymorphism in a particular sequence coding for mRNA
_ are the mechanism by which natural selection occurs
, alleles
- Modern synthesis
Two principles of genetics
1. Independent segregation: Equal contribution from both parents
2.Independent assortment: Chromosomes randomly assort into gametes
Describe quantitative genetics
Most phenotypes are determined by many loci the combination of which determines the
trait we see
- Has a solid mathematical foundation
Describe fitness response surface
A way to characterize how phenotypic variation effects fitness
Example of fitness response surface: Red crossbill
Eat pinecone seeds, different species have specialized beak morphology specific to
type of pinecones they feed on
- even without knowing the genes contributing to this we can see that 1cm bill depth has
highest fitness
State two ways of assessing selection across the genome
1. GWAS: genome-wide association study
2. Genomic clines
What is the output of a GWAS?
Manhattan plot
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
VERIFIED GRADED A++
The ecological _ and the evolutionary _
theatre, play
Nothing makes sense in biology except in the light of _
evolution
Define ecology
Scientific study of the distribution and abundance of species and the abiotic/biotic
factors that determine this
Key difference between genetics and genomics
Scale
Genetics looks at a few loci on few chromosomes
Genomics looks at many loci on many chromosomes
- Provides a much more comprehensive assessment of genetic variation
Timeline of genetic approaches: 1960's, 1980's, 2000's
1960's: Protein electrophoresis
1980's: DNA amplification
2000's: Next generation/high throughput sequencing
Describe protein electrophoresis
,Grind up cells to extract DNA
Place in gel
DNA separates according to structure
Identifies polymorphisms in protein structure
Used to infer population genetic variation
Describe DNA amplification
DNA polymerase introduced to allow for amplification
Enable determination of genetic code of proteins
Gene sequencing
Restriction site variation
Microsatellites
SNP's
Describe restriction site variation
Differences among genome DNA sequences at sites recognized by restriction enzymes
Describe microsatellites
Repetitive segments of DNA scattered with 'junk' regions
Describe SNP's
Short nucleotide polymorphisms
A genomic variant at a single base position (abnormalities)
Describe next generation sequencing
Cheaply and quickly assesses a species genome
GBS: genotype by sequencing
Whole genome sequencing
,What is the modern synthesis
Darwin's theory of natural selection combined with Mendel's ideas on heredity
- How we currently under stand evolution
Darwin:
Individuals have a range of phenotypes, at least some of that variation is from
parents: TRUE/FALSE
TRUE
Darwin:
Fitness is unrelated to phenotype: TRUE/FALSE
FALSE
Fitness (how many off spring are produced) is a function of phenotype
Describe fitness
The amount of off spring individuals are able to produce
Darwin's theory of blending inheritance was well accepted: TRUE/FALSE
FALSE
- It was quickly rejected by mathematicians as it would result in rapid homogenization
Mendel's description of an allele compared to today's description of an allele
Mendel: Variant of a single gene which can vary and has been inherited
Today: A polymorphism in a particular sequence coding for mRNA
_ are the mechanism by which natural selection occurs
, alleles
- Modern synthesis
Two principles of genetics
1. Independent segregation: Equal contribution from both parents
2.Independent assortment: Chromosomes randomly assort into gametes
Describe quantitative genetics
Most phenotypes are determined by many loci the combination of which determines the
trait we see
- Has a solid mathematical foundation
Describe fitness response surface
A way to characterize how phenotypic variation effects fitness
Example of fitness response surface: Red crossbill
Eat pinecone seeds, different species have specialized beak morphology specific to
type of pinecones they feed on
- even without knowing the genes contributing to this we can see that 1cm bill depth has
highest fitness
State two ways of assessing selection across the genome
1. GWAS: genome-wide association study
2. Genomic clines
What is the output of a GWAS?
Manhattan plot
