STAAR Biology Reporting Category 2

Front

What is the role of hydrogen bonds in DNA structure?

Back

Hydrogen bonds hold the two strands of DNA together by connecting complementary nitrogenous bases (adenine with thymine, and cytosine with guanine).

Front

Define a dominant allele.

Back

A dominant allele is an allele whose trait always shows up in the organism when the allele is present.

Front

How do environmental factors influence genetic traits in organisms?

Back

Environmental factors can regulate the expression of genes, leading to changes in traits, such as coat color in snowshoe hares, which is influenced by seasonal changes.

Front

What does it mean for an organism to be heterozygous?

Back

An organism is heterozygous when it has two different alleles for a particular gene, one dominant and one recessive.

Front

What is a mutation in the context of DNA?

Back

A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that can affect how genes function, which may involve insertions, deletions, or substitutions of nucleotides.

Front

What is the significance of the double helix structure of DNA?

Back

The double helix structure of DNA allows for the efficient storage of genetic information and the ability to replicate accurately during cell division.

Front

Explain the concept of gene regulation.

Back

Gene regulation refers to the mechanisms that control the expression of genes, determining when and how much of a gene product is made.

Front

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Back

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype refers to the observable traits or characteristics of that organism.

Front

What is the function of alleles in genetics?

Back

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can produce variations in a trait, such as flower color or coat color.

Front

Describe the process of DNA replication.

Back

DNA replication is the process by which a cell makes an identical copy of its DNA, involving unwinding the double helix and synthesizing new complementary strands.