BIOLOGY:

o Meiosis:
Nuclear division that prevents the doubling of the number of
chromosomes at fertilisation.
4 gametes, each carrying half the number of chromosomes of
body cells are produced.

o DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Type of nucleic acid.
What genes & chromosomes are made of
Shaped like a twisted staircase
Alternating sugars and phosphates
Replicates for cell division in nucleus
Made of repeating nucleotide subunits; Adenine, Thymine,
Cytosine, Guanine.

Phosphate
Group

Deoxyribo
se Sugar

Nitrogenous Base

o Mutations
Occur during DNA replication, cell division or process of meiosis,
changing DNA code or chromosome number.

Sometimes produce a variation either harmful or beneficial. E.g. hair &

eye colour.
Environmental factors can cause mutations to occur. E.g. exposure to
UV rays which divide skin cells.
Minor mutations have no effect and arent harmful. Bodys immune
system usually identifies the changed cell/s and destroys it
immediately.
Not all mutations are harmful:
Pesticides kill most insects, some have variations/mutations, giving
them resistance
Mutated genes are passed on to offspring who gains the resistance
as well.
Insects without resistance die out.
Can occur by chance or as of a certain cause like UV exposure of
smoking.
Tumours occur as of uncontrolled cell division.

o Sickle Cell Anaemia

Can be detrimental or beneficial
Adenine replaced by thymine in a gene that codes for haemoglobin
A person who inherits SCA from one parent may have mild anaemia or
no symptoms

If inherited by both parents, result in SCA which is harmful

Beneficial if inherited by of parent as of unlikeliness of contracting
malaria