Explain how an allele is different from a gene and the relationship between the two.

Genes contain information about specific characteristics/traits which can either be dominant/recessive.

Not all copies of genes are identical an alternative form of a gene is an allele.

Alleles are a way of finding the 2 members of a gene pair.

The allele of a gene is its partner gene.

For example: b is an allele of B and vise versa.

So alleles are pretty much a different form of genes.

Compare & Contrast Transcription in Eukaryotes & Prokaryotes.

Contrast

• A lot of the pioneering work on transcription was carried out in prokaryotes, most notably in the bacteria E. Coli.



• Prokaryotes have a single RNA polymerase.



• Eukaryotes have 3 different RNA polymerase.



• Transcription in eukaryotes is more complex.



• Eukaryotic RNA polymerase cannot initiate transcription by themselves, they need the help of a set of proteins called the basic transcription factors.

Compare

• The enzyme that carries out transcription is called RNA polymerase, it consist of 4 polypeptides.



• Transcription can be divided into 3 phases: initiation, elongation, and termination.

Describe the process of Translation.

Translation is the first stage of protein biosynthesis(part of overall process of gene expression.) Translation happens in the cytoplasm where the ribosomes are located. During translation mRNA(messenger RNA) is decoded to make a specific polypeptide. Translation happens is 4 phases: activation, initiation, elongation and termination.

Describe the process of transcription in eukaryotic cells.

Its primarily located in the nucleus, where it gets separated from the cytoplasm(in which translation occurs) near the nucleur membrane. DNA is also in the mitochondria in the cytoplasm and the mitochondria utilize a special RNA polymerase for transcription. The basal eukaryotic transcription includes: RNA polymerase and additional proteins that are necessary for the correct initiation and elogation.

TRANSCRIPTION PROCESS


Name
transcribed
RNA Polymerase I (Pol I, Pol A)
nucleolus
Larger ribosomal RNA (rRNA) (28S, 18S, 5.8S)
RNA Polymerase II (Pol II, Pol B)
nucleus
messenger RNA (mRNA) and most small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs)
RNA Polymerase III (Pol III, Pol C)
nucleus (and possibly the nucleolus-nucleoplasm interface)
transfer RNA (tRNA) and other small RNAs (including the small 5S rRNA)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryotic_transcription

Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis.

Meiosis is a form of cell division that produces gametes in humans these are egg cells and sperms, each with reduced or halved number of chromosomes.

A cell with 2 copies is called a diploid cell with 1 copy is called a haploid cell.

Meiosis produces haploid daughter cells which are genetically different from each other and the parent cell.

Mitosis is the form of cell division that produces daughter cells identical to the parent cell.

Meiosis has 2 divisions, while Mitosis has 1 division.

But both divisions have the stages:

• interphase



• prophase



• metaphase



• anaphase



• and telophase

Compare & Contrast mitosis & binary fission.

• Binary fission is in prokaryotic cells.



• Mitosis is in eukaryotic cells.



• Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction.

Mitosis is the process in which a eukaryotic cell separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus int 2 identical sets in 2 daughter nuclei.

Binary Fission is the form of asexual reproduction and cell division used by all prokaryotic and some eukaryotic organisms.

Compare & Contrast catabolic & anabolic reactions & add the definition of both.

Catabolic: Relating to or characterized by catabolism, or characterized by destructive metabolism.http://wordwebnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Anabolic: Of or related to the synthetic phase of metabolism, or characterized by or promoting constructive metabolism. " Some athletes take anabolic steroids to increase muscle size temporarily".http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Contrast

• Catabolic reactions release energy that is used to drive chemical reactions.


• Anabolic reactions usually require energy.


• The energy of catabolic reactions is used to drive anabolic reactions.