Table of contents

1. Introduction to Genetics51m
2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
8. DNA Replication1h 10m
9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
10. Transcription1h 0m
11. Translation58m
12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
14. Genetic Control of Development44m
15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
16. Transposable Elements47m
17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- Genetic Cloning
  9m
- Methods for Analyzing DNA
  9m
19. Cancer Genetics29m
- Overview of Cancer
  21m
- Cancer Mutations
  7m
20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
21. Population Genetics50m
- Hardy Weinberg
  19m
- Allelic Frequency Changes
  31m
22. Evolutionary Genetics29m

15. Genomes and Genomics

Functional Genomics

Genetics

15. Genomes and Genomics

Functional Genomics

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1:31 minutes

Problem 17

Textbook Question

Metagenomics studies generate very large amounts of sequence data. Provide examples of genetic insight that can be learned from metagenomics.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the concept of metagenomics: Metagenomics involves the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, allowing researchers to analyze the collective genomes of microorganisms in a given habitat without the need for culturing them.

Explore microbial diversity: Metagenomics can reveal the diversity of microbial species present in an environment by analyzing the sequence data. This includes identifying rare or previously unknown species and understanding their roles in the ecosystem.

Investigate functional genes: Sequence data from metagenomics can be used to identify genes responsible for specific functions, such as antibiotic resistance, metabolic pathways, or environmental adaptation. This helps in understanding the functional capabilities of microbial communities.

Study interactions within microbial communities: Metagenomics can provide insights into how different microorganisms interact with each other and their environment, including symbiotic relationships, competition, and nutrient cycling.

Analyze evolutionary relationships: By comparing sequence data, researchers can study the evolutionary relationships between microorganisms, track genetic changes over time, and understand how microbial communities adapt to changing environments.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Metagenomics

Metagenomics is the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, allowing researchers to analyze the collective genomes of microorganisms in a given habitat. This approach bypasses the need for culturing organisms in the lab, enabling the exploration of microbial diversity and function in various ecosystems, such as soil, oceans, and the human gut.

Microbial Diversity

Microbial diversity refers to the variety of microorganisms present in a specific environment, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. Understanding microbial diversity is crucial for insights into ecosystem functioning, as different species can play unique roles in nutrient cycling, disease prevention, and environmental resilience.

Functional Genomics

Functional genomics involves studying the functions and interactions of genes and their products within an organism or community. In metagenomics, this concept helps researchers identify genes associated with specific metabolic pathways, antibiotic resistance, or symbiotic relationships, providing insights into how microbial communities adapt and thrive in their environments.

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Textbook Question

Translational fusions between a protein of interest and a reporter protein are used to determine the subcellular location of proteins in vivo. However, fusion to a reporter protein sometimes renders the protein of interest nonfunctional because the addition of the reporter protein interferes with proper protein folding, enzymatic activity, or protein–protein interactions. You have constructed a fusion between your protein of interest and a reporter gene. How will you show that the fusion protein retains its normal biological function?

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Textbook Question

It can be said that modern biology is experiencing an 'omics' revolution. What does this mean? Explain your answer.

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Textbook Question

How would you perform a genetic screen to identify genes directing Drosophila wing development? Once you have a collection of wing-development mutants, how would you analyze your mutagenesis to learn how many genes are represented and how many alleles of each gene? How would you discover whether the genes act in the same or different pathways, and if in the same pathway, how do you discover the order in which they act? How would you clone the genes?

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Textbook Question

A 2-kb fragment of E. coli DNA contains the complete sequence of a gene for which transcription is terminated by the rho protein. The fragment contains the complete promoter sequence as well as the terminator region of the gene. The cloned fragment is examined by band shift assay. Each lane of a single electrophoresis gel contains the 2-kb cloned fragment under the following conditions:

Lane 1: 2-kb fragment alone

Lane 2: 2-kb fragment plus the core enzyme

Lane 3: 2-kb fragment plus the RNA polymerase holoenzyme

Lane 4: 2-kb fragment plus rho protein

Explain the relative positions of bands in lanes 1 and 4.

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Textbook Question

A 3.5-kb segment of DNA containing the complete sequence of a mouse gene is available. The DNA segment contains the promoter sequence and extends beyond the polyadenylation site of the gene. The DNA is studied by band shift assay, and the following gel bands are observed.

Match these conditions to a specific lane of the gel.

3.5-kb fragment plus TFIIB and TFIID

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Textbook Question

Match these conditions to a specific lane of the gel.

3.5-kb fragment plus TFIIB, TFIID, TFIIF, and RNA polymerase II

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Textbook Question

Match these conditions to a specific lane of the gel.

3.5-kb fragment alone