This is a summary for second year Psychology students who take the course Biological Psychology. The summary is full of learning goals (and answers to these goals) and pictures to make the summary easier to read.
, Lecture 1
Learning goals:
• Understand and reproduce support for the evolution theory
• Explain how characteristics are passed on from one generation to another
• Describe and use examples of Medelian genetics and inheritance
• Understand and describe the function of DNA
• Describe the process from DNA to functional protein
• Understand and describe genetic variation, different forms of genetic variation,
mutations, and tandem repeats
• Explain the basics of epigenetics, behavioral genetics and how this is relevant for
psychology
Understand and reproduce support for the evolution theory
The supporting evidence:
• Biogeography: organisms are the best fit to their unique environment so they change to fit in
mee
and survive
• Fossil records: looking at different geological layers reveals changing fossils
ve n e e r
• Structural similarity: across species there are similarities. These have developed from an
m
e neeer
common ancestor. Due to environmental pressures, the organism changes
• Embryology: ORP theory (Haeckel) = during development, organisms go through every evolution
m e
e
from the past. As the development goes on, similarities are reduced between species and the
embryo takes on the unique characteristics of their species
• Molecular biology: we share common strands of genetic material with other organisms
minera
Explain how characteristics are passed on from one generation to another
Two types of heritable characteristics: qualitative and quantitative
*
• Often influenced by one gene
• Follow a simple pattern of inheritance
• Either a presence or absence
,• Unaffected by environmental factors
Quantitative characteristics:
• Influence by multiple genes
• More variable which makes them less predictable
• Expressed along a continuum
Describe and use examples of Medelian genetics and inheritance
Haploid = when a cell has only one set of chromosomes (not paired).
Example: gametes (egg and sperm), that is why we get one set from our
mother her and one from our father.
Understand and describe the function of DNA
Two functions:
• DNA replication = the two strands of nucleotide bases unravel. These attract their
complement from unattached bases in the nucleus. It now has has two complete strands
again and is identical to the original.
• makes proteins and determines the function of the cell
Describe the process from DNA to functional protein
, 2. mRNA is not the exact copy of DNA.
Uracil substitutes for thymine
Functions of proteins:
we e
• Building blocks of your body
• Can become part of the cell membrane to
form receptors for neurotransmitters /
hormones
• Are part of the cell structure
• Combines with other proteins and iron to
transport oxygen in red blood cells
• Form ribosomes in order to create new
proteins
• Products of the immune system to kill invaders
• Some function as hormones or even neurotransmitter
• Can serve as fuel for energy and heat production
• Can be an enzyme to metabolize chemical reactions (cellular glue or scissors)
Understand and describe genetic variation, different forms
of genetic variation, mutations, and tandem repeats
The different forms of genetic variation:
• Polymorphisms: many SNPs exist in the introns and can act as markers for abnormal
phenotypes. There is no clear pattern of inheritance
• Crossover: exchange of alleles
-
• Mutation = a change in a single gene that is rare, random and often independent of
the needs of the organism. A mutation directly leads to a disorder and follows a
Mendelian pattern of inheritance
• A tandem repeat / satellite DNA = the repeated duplication of a core DNA sequence
consisting of short, repeated base pair sequences combined together
• Deletion = the loss of one or more nucleotides and/or a change in the number of
chromosomes
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