Science 10

GENETICS
Unit 1
 GENETICS- Section 1.1
In this unit, the main concepts covered are:
• DNA structure and function

• genes and chromosomes

• mechanisms for the diversity of life:

— mutation and its impact on evolution

— natural and artificial selection

• simple patterns of inheritance

All living things must have the following 7 characteristics of life:

1. REPRODUCTION- all living things produce offspring

2. METABOLISM- all living things require food (energy) and produce
waste
3. HOMEOSTASIS- all living things require a balanced internal
environment
4. STIMULI- all living things respond to stimuli.
All living things must have the following 7 characteristics of life:

5. GROWTH and development- all living things grow

6. HEREDITY and adaptation through evolution- the genetically
determined characteristics of living things are passed on to their
offspring, and through mutation and survival of the fittest, this may
lead to evolution
7. CELLULAR organization- all living things are made up of one or more
cells
• It is ultimately the cell and its complex organization that has allowed
for the evolution and diversity of life as we know it today. But what is
it within the cell that has lead to so much variation in living things?
The answer lies in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell.
1.1- The Nucleus: Control Centre of the
Cell
Every cell in your body has a specific JOB- but how do they become
specialized?

E.g. hair cells vs. skin cells vs. retina in the eye
• The NUCLEUS in the cell contains the master set of instructions that
tells the cell:
a. what it will DO
b. how it will function
c. when it will REPRODUCE and GROW
d. when it will die
• But how does the nucleus do this? How does it send messages to the
rest of the cell?
1. The nucleus contains DNA, which carries the
master set of INSTRUCTIONS for cell function.

• DNA (DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID) is a double stranded helix that looks like a

twisted ladder
• the sides of DNA are made of SUGAR and PHOSPHATES
• the steps of DNA are made up of 4 BASES:
Adenine Cytosine
Guanine Thymine
• Adenine and guanine are double-ringed structures known
as PURINES

• Cytosine and thymine are single-ringed structures known

as PYRIMIDINES

-a single sugar-phosphate base unit is called a NUCLEOTIDE

This is where the “nucleic acid” comes from in the name

for DNA
Pairing Rules

-adenine (A) always pairs with THYMINE (T)  APPLE TREE

-cytosine (C) always pairs with GUANINE (G)  CAR GARAGE

Apple Tree Car Garage

Now you try…. (this is not in your notes)
• Where are the
bases located?
• Name the 4 bases
• Where are the
sugars and
phosphates
located?
• What is this shape
called?
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
1. If the bases on one strand of DNA are ATG GGC CTA, what is the
sequence of the complementary bases on the other strand of DNA?

2. Think of an analogy to describe the base pairs. Share them with a

classmate.
2. DNA has many functions:
A. DNA contains INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL CELL FUNCTIONS and,
therefore, DNA indirectly controls all of the functioning of all living
things.

B. DNA DETERMINES THE HEREDITARY TRAITS of an individual

C. DNA EVOLVES (changes through mutations and recombination). This

allows for new characteristics & abilities to appear which may help an
individual to survive & reproduce.
D. Self replication: DNA has the ability to MAKE COPIES OF ITSELF.
3. The arrangement of bases in DNA directs all cell activity
• the bases are like letters that carry a message (CODE)

• the code gives INSTRUCTIONS for a specific task.

4. DNA is stored in the form of chromatin

• chromatin is made up of DNA and PROTIENS called histones

(very dense)
• when a cell is growing, parts of the CHROMATIN unwind so
that the targeted section of DNA can be read to make
messages that control the rest of the cell.
• when cells reproduce, the entire chromatin coils up and
makes an X-shaped structure called a CHROMOSOME
Some terms you should know….
Every organism has a characteristic number of
chromosomes. This can be observed in the human
KARYOTYPE shown to the right

• chromosomes are always in PAIRS in the nucleus. This

can be observed in the human KARYOTYPE shown to
the right
• humans have 46 chromosomes (=23 pairs)
• in males, the 23rd pair of chromosomes are “XY”
• in females, the 23rd pair of chromosomes are “XX”
• cows have 60 chromosomes; corn has 20 chromosomes
5. Genes are found on chromosomes
• A GENE is a small segments of DNA found at specific places on a
chromosome that code for a protein
• genes can vary in length from 100s to 1000s of BASES
• the arrangement of bases will decide what kind of protein is
PRODUCED
e.g. ACCATAGG  make protein “A”
AGGCGTTA  make protein “B”
• each chromosome carries 1000s
of GENES

• your body uses 90 000 to 100

000 different PROTEINS

• A pair of chromosomes that

have the same sequence of
genes are called
HOMOLOGOUS
CHROMOSOMES. How many
homologous chromosomes
do humans have? ____
Review Questions
1. Describe the structure of DNA. Include the shape and the building blocks.
2. What is a nucleotide?
3. What are four functions of DNA
4. Describe a way you can remember the base pairing rules.
5. How can DNA be compared to a master blueprint for a building?
6. Describe how DNA is organized in the nucleus.
7. Why is it important that DNA be compacted so tightly in the nucleus?
8. What is a gene?
9. How many copies of each gene do you have? Explain where they came from.
10. Give the complementary strand of DNA for the following:
ATC CCG GGG b. GGT CTA TTA
 
Keywords: List and define the key words you have learned about in this chapter
Sci 10 Warmup- DNA
1. Describe the structure of DNA. Include the shape and the building
blocks.
2. What is a nucleotide?
3. What are four functions of DNA
4. Describe a way you can remember the base pairing rules.