Textbook Question
What do restriction endonucleases do?
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Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers
Freeman7th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9783584863285
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life11
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life10
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function11
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells10
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation16
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis14
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions14
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle12
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis13
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene32
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair8
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work35
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria19
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes17
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers23
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution13
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection17
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea17
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes19
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants18
- Ch. 29 - Fungi19
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals20
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals19
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function16
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development18
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology16
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology16
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology16
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Freeman 7th EditionCh. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New FrontiersProblem 4
Freeman 7th EditionCh. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New FrontiersProblem 4Chapter 20, Problem 4
The human genome size is 3 billion base pairs, and the size of the baker's yeast genome, a single-celled organism, is 12 million base pairs. Therefore, the predicted genome size for another single-celled organism, an amoeba,
a. Is about the size of the human genome
b. Is about the size of the yeast genome
c. Is somewhere between the sizes of the yeast and human genomes
d. Cannot be predicted with any certainty
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the context: The problem is asking about the predicted genome size of an amoeba, a single-celled organism, in comparison to the human genome and the yeast genome.
Consider the nature of genome sizes: Genome size can vary significantly among organisms, even those that are similar in terms of being single-celled or multicellular.
Evaluate the options: The problem provides four options regarding the amoeba's genome size relative to the human and yeast genomes.
Recognize the variability in genome sizes: Genome size does not necessarily correlate with the complexity or type of organism. Amoebas, despite being single-celled, can have large genomes.
Conclude based on biological principles: Given the variability and lack of direct correlation between organism type and genome size, the genome size of an amoeba cannot be predicted with certainty based solely on the genome sizes of humans and yeast.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Genome Size Variation
Genome size refers to the total number of base pairs in an organism's DNA. It varies significantly across different species, and does not necessarily correlate with organism complexity. For example, some single-celled organisms can have larger genomes than multicellular ones, highlighting the unpredictability of genome size based solely on organism type.
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Genomes and Genome Evolution
C-value Paradox
The C-value paradox describes the lack of correlation between genome size and organismal complexity. Despite expectations, more complex organisms do not always have larger genomes. This paradox is due to non-coding DNA and repetitive sequences that contribute to genome size without increasing complexity, making predictions about genome size challenging.
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Amoeba Genome Size
Amoebas, despite being single-celled organisms, can have extremely large genomes, sometimes exceeding those of humans. This is due to the presence of large amounts of non-coding DNA and repetitive sequences. Therefore, predicting the genome size of an amoeba based on other single-celled organisms like yeast is unreliable, as amoebas can have much larger genomes.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
What is a plasmid?
a. An organelle found in many bacteria and certain eukaryotes
b. A circular DNA molecule that replicates independently of the main chromosome(s)
c. A type of virus that has a DNA genome and infects certain types of human cells, including lung and respiratory tract tissue
d. A type of virus that has an RNA genome, codes for reverse transcriptase, and inserts a cDNA copy of its genome into cells
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Textbook Question
After finding a gene that causes a disease, researchers often introduce the defective allele into mice to create an animal model of the disease. Why are these models valuable?
a. They allow the testing of potential drug therapies without endangering human patients.
b. They allow the sequencing of the mutant allele.
c. They allow the production of large quantities of the defective gene product, usually a protein.
d. They allow the study of how the gene was transmitted from parents to offspring.
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Textbook Question
Explain how RNA-seq can be used to analyze patterns of gene expression.
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Textbook Question
Consider the validity of the following statements about genome editing. Select True or False for each statement.
T/FCas proteins work as endonucleases.
T/FsgRNA is used by bacterial cells to detect which DNA to cut.
T/FHomologous recombination is always used to join pieces of broken DNA.
T/FIt is possible to modify genes as well as disrupt them by genome editing.
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Textbook Question
Gene density is the number of genes per million base pairs (Mbp). Using Figure 20.5b, find the approximate number of genes estimated in water fleas and in humans, and note the size of each genome. Calculate the gene density in water fleas relative to that in humans.
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