Chapter 1- Introduction to Genetics

Page 1 Chapter 1- Introduction to Genetics

• Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in

20,000 people. However, the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona. Explain in terms of natural selection why albinism is so rare in most human populations.

• Albinism is rare in most human populations, occurring at a frequency of about 1 in

20,000 people. However, the trait occurs at a frequency of 1 in 200 in certain Hopi villages of Black Mesa in Arizona. Explain in terms of natural selection why the trait is so much more common among the Hopis of Black Mesa.

• Which one of the following pairings between the subdiscipline of genetics and the

phenomenon is INCORRECT?

• evolution—population genetics
• gene regulation—molecular genetics
• allelic frequency alteration—population genetics
• arrangement of genes on chromosome—transmission genetics
• chemical nature of the gene—transmission genetics

• Which one of the following topics of research belongs to the discipline of transmission

genetics?

• inheritance pattern of gene alleles
• mechanism of DNA replication
• gene expression patterns
• evolution
• chemical modification of nucleic acids

5. The complete genetic makeup of an organism is referred to as its:

• chromosome.
• alleles.
• locus.
• genome.
• phenotype.

(Genetics, A Conceptual Approach, 6e Benjamin Pierce ) (Test Bank, Answer at the end of each Chapter) 1 / 4

Page 2

• Identify a TRUE statement from the following descriptions concerning genetics.
• The theory of pangenesis states that all living organisms are composed of cells.
• Bacteria and viruses are not useful in studying genes and inheritance because they

are structurally and metabolically different from eukaryotic cells.

• Charles Darwin accurately described the laws of inheritance in his landmark book,

On the Origin of Species.

• Many human traits, such as skin and hair color, are determined by more than a

single gene.

• Evolution can occur without genetic changes in the population.

• Identify a FALSE statement from the following descriptions of genetics.
• Humans first applied genetics to the domestication of plants and animals between

approximately 10,000 and 12,000 years ago.

• Some viruses use RNA to carry their genetic information.
• Albinism results from a mutation in the genes that control the synthesis and storage

of melanin.

• All human traits that display blending inheritance are affected by a single gene.
• The process by which genetic information is copied and decoded is similar for all

forms of life.

• Which of the following species is considered a model genetic organism?
• the plant Linaria vulgaris
• the deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus
• the worm Caenorhabditis elegans
• the frog Hyla chrysoscelis
• the chimpanzee Pan troglodytes

• Which of the following would serve the LEAST well as a model for understanding basic

mechanisms of inheritance?

• fruit flies
• humans
• yeast
• mice
• zebrafish

• / 4

Page 3

• Which of the following statements is TRUE?
• Each subdiscipline of genetics is very specific as to what is explored and does not

overlap with the other subdisciplines.

• All phenotypes or traits are always determined by multiple genes.
• Albinism arises from the overexpression of the gene that controls the synthesis and

storage of melanin.

• Humans make excellent model organisms because they have a variety of

well-defined traits.

• None of the statements provided are true.

• Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
• All genomes are encoded in DNA only.
• All genomes are encoded in nucleic acids.
• All genomes are encoded in proteins only.
• The genetic instructions are decoded completely differently in each organism.
• Molecular studies suggest life evolved from multiple primordial ancestors.

• Which of the following traits would make a species useful as a model genetic organism?

(Select all that apply.)

• large number of progeny
• long generation time
• small size
• ability to be studied in a laboratory
• ability to be propagated inexpensively

• Which one of the following topics belongs to a different subdiscipline of genetics when

compared with the rest?

• mechanism of gene regulation
• allele frequencies of a certain gene in different environments
• transcription
• chemical alternation of chromosomes
• mechanism of DNA replication

• / 4

Page 4

• The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an important model system for studying

inheritance in animals and genetic control of animal development, including humans. If researchers ultimately want to understand a biological process in humans, why might they want to study the process in fruit flies first? (Select all that apply.)

• Fruit flies are relatively easy to genetically manipulate and to isolate mutations.
• Fruit flies have short generation times and produce relatively large numbers of

progeny.

• Fruit flies have simpler genomes than do humans.
• Fruit flies share all important physiological and developmental processes with

humans.

• Fruit flies are small and easy to raise.

15. The complete genetic makeup of any organism is referred to as a:

• phylogeny.
• pheynotype.
• genome.
• genotype.
• single-nucleotide polymorphism.

16. A change in allele frequency within a population over time leads to:

• a genome.
• a phenotype.
• a genotype.
• mutations.
• evolution.

• Assume that a geneticist is doing a study with a wild mouse species. She captures 100 of

these mice, takes a DNA sample from each, and sequences the same specific gene from each mouse. This gene has two alleles within this population. She then calculates the frequency of each of the two alleles from the sequencing results. Which subdivisions of genetics would this study include?

• transmission and population genetics
• transmission and molecular genetics
• molecular genetics only
• molecular and population genetics
• transmission genetics only

• / 4