From The Student Room
TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > Biology > Edexcel Biology Synoptic Paper - Nature of Genes
Nature of Gene and Applications and implications of gene technology.
- Application: of practical use.
- Implication: possible effect or result
BIOLOGY SPEC
1.1 Nucleic acids
- understand that ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) are composed of mononucleotides;
- recall the basic structure of a mononucleotide; thymine, uracil and cytosine as pyrimidines;
- adenine and guanine as purines;
- understand that condensation reactions are involved in the formation of mononucleotides and *polynucleotides (DNA andRNA);
- recall the structure and understand the roles of messenger and transfer RNA; recall the structure of DNA;
- understand base pairing;
- understandthe double helix;
- understand the mechanism of replication of DNA (semiconservative);
- understand the nature of the genetic code;
- understand that a gene is a sequence of bases on the DNA molecule which codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain;
- understand the processes of transcription and translation in the synthesis of proteins;
- understand that amino acid sequences are specified by DNA, and know the function of the ribosomes;
- understand codons and anti codons in relation to messenger and transfer RNA;
- appreciate the Human Genome Project in the light of the structure and roles of nucleic acids;
- consider the spiritual, moral, ethical, social and cultural issues of this project.
5B.4 Genes and alleles
- understand gene expression and the environmental influences on gene expression;
- recall monohybrid inheritance;
- understand the terms genotype and phenotype, homozygote and heterozygote, dominance and codominance;
- understand the term multiple alleles, illustrated by the ABO blood-group system (IA, IB, Io alleles);
- explain the inheritance of two non-interacting unlinked genes;
- understand autosomal linkage and recombinants in relation to events of meiosis;
- explain gene interaction between two unlinkedgenes;
- describe sex determination in humans.
5B.4 Gene technology
- describe and understand the roles of reverse transcriptase, endonucleases and DNA ligase in the manipulation of DNA;
- describe the insertion of DNA into a host cell and the multiplication of the host cell; appreciate the use of marker genes to indicate that new genes have been incorporated into host cells;
- understand how protein synthesis is switched on and the synthesis of a new product by the host cell as illustrated by the introduction of new genes into plants using the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens;
- understand the production of chymosin from genetically modified yeast and its use as a substitute for mammalian rennin in the dairy industry;
- discuss the potential of genetically modified organisms illustrated by the development of crop plants resistant to herbicides,
- the improvement of crop quality and the development of pharmaceutical products such as human hormones and new drugs;
- discuss the social, ethical and economic implications of the development of genetically modified organisms;
- understand how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifies genetic material;
- describe genetic fingerprinting as a diagnostic tool.
Comments
- Suitable for: Edexcel Biology A Level modules 5 or 6, but also other exam boards.
- Written by: Jean
- From this thread
