Sexual Life Cycle: alteration of halving and doubling chromosome count in each generation

  • In sexual reproduction two parents produce offspring with a unique combination of genes.
    • In eu. results in gamete formation
    • Increases genetic variation bcuz random mutations can be shuffled between organisms
  • Zygote: fertilized egg, diploid
    • Brief stage and then mitosis of zygote results in all of your body cells
  • Haploid (n): cells with half of the number of chromosomes (ex. n=23)
  • Gametes: haploid sperm and egg created thru meiosis and pass on genes; not made by mitosis cuz if they did number of chromosomes would keep doubling
    • Gametes receive one allele per trait
      • Number of alleles determines how many different types of gametes
    • Diploid (2n): cells with two sets of chromosomes (2n=46)
      • Somatic Cells: (normal) body cells, that have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), half from mom half from dad
    • Homologous chromosomes(homologs): pair of chromosomes with same size, shape, centromere, and same genes that control specific inheritance pattern but different versions
      • One maternal and other paternal
    • Allele: different versions of the same gene controlling a trait caused by mutations→ contribute to overall phenotype
      • Organism can only inherit 2 alleles for one trait
    • Locus (loci): exact location of a gene on a chromosome
    • Tetrad: Made up of two pairs of sister chromatids that have synapsed
    • Karyotype: picture showing 23 pairs of chromosomes (usually at metaphase)
      • Autosomal pairs (22): all of the genes for normal traits
      • Sex chromosomes (23rd): determine sex, XY male and XX female

Organism vs Organism:

  • Organisms differ in number of chromosome and whether diploid or haploid is dominant
  • Animals are mainly diploid because their body cells are somatic and not germline
  • Fungi Life Cycle: are usually haploid but most form temporary diploid structures for sexual reproduction
    • Can’t cut one set of chromosomes in half so they do not have meiosis during haploid
  • Plant Life Cycle: both haploid and diploid split equally so there is no dominant stage (multicellular)
    • Alternation of generations: one gen is haploid and the next may be diploid, it flips every generation
    • Sporophyte: multicellular diploid plant Gametophyte: multicellular haploid
      • Gametophyte mitosis directly leads to the formation of gametes
      • ex. A diploid plant (sporophyte) produces, by meiosis, a spore that gives rise to a multicellular gametophyte