GENES and
inheritance
7.1 chromosomes, genes and dna
chromosomes
Nucleus of every cell contains threads called
chromosomes.
Chromosomes is not visible under microscope.
Chromosomes can only become visible when:
1. The cell is dividing
2. Coloured with a stain
chromosomes
Different species of organism have different numbers of
chromosomes.
Human – 46 chromosomes
Fruit fly – 8 chromosomes
Chromosomes of a fruit fly Mango trees – 40 chromosomes
chromosomes
Scientist number the chromosomes in a cell according to
the how long the chromosomes are.
In a human cell, chromosome 1 is the longest, followed
by chromosome 2 and so on.
The chromosomes made by cutting and pasting pictures
of individual chromosomes and lined up in size order.
**just before a cell divides, each
chromosome make copy of itself.
GENES
Each chromosome is made up of hundreds of different genes
In chromosome 1, there are 2000 different genes.
In chromosome 15, there are 600 different genes.
GENES
Two genes in chromosome 15 determine
colour of eyes.
dna
Chromosomes are made up of a chemical substance called DNA.
Genes also made of DNA.
DNA in genes helps to determine characteristics of humans and
other organisms.
-- double helix
7.2 gametes and inheritance
gametes
Sperm cell (male gamete) egg cell (female gamete)
7.2 gametes and inheritance
What is fertilisation?
The joining of sperm cell and egg cell. Boy or girl?
7.3 variation
What is variation?
Differences between individuals belonging to the same species.
Variation caused by:
Genes environment Genes & environment
Example: Shoe size
Example: body size
Example: Eyes colour, (feet size by gene, but can
(e.g: eat more, body size
height, type of hair be affected from
bigger, vice versa)
environment)
7.4 natural selection
1. In every species, there is 4. These advantageous features
variation among individual will reproduce and pass on
organisms. genese that produce the
advantageous features.
2. Some of this variation is
caused by differences in their
genes.
3. Some individuals have features
that will survive compare to
others.
7.4 natural selection
Long-necked & short-necked giraffe – imaginary story
1. Some animals had varieties 5. Only the long-necked
of genes that some have long animals had survived, it was
necks and some have shorter 3. All lower leaves had been
eaten, only long-necked only their genes that passed to
necks. the next generation.
animals could get food.
1 2
4. Most of animals with short
neck died of starvation.
2. In some years, the rains
did not come. The animals
ran short of food.
7.4 natural selection
Bacteria and antibiotics
In bacteria population, one Antibiotic is added, which The resistant one can now
may have gene that makes it kills the bacteria that are multiply and form a
resistant to an antibiotic not resistant. population of resistant
bacteria
1 > 2 > 3
7.4 natural selection
Peppered moths
They are hunted and eaten
In England, most peppered by birds.The pale colour
moths have pale wings, but peppered moths Birds can see light moths
some have a gene that gives camouflages them perfectly more easily on dark tree
them dark wings. against lichen-covered tree trunks than dark moths.
bark.
1 2 3 4 5
After Industrial Revolution,
Peppered moths fly at many factories burnt coal,
night ,and spend the produce smoke. The smoke
daylight hours resting on killed lichens and made the
tree trunks. tree trunk dark.
7.4 natural selection
Peppered moths
The dark moths we more Today, the pollution in
likely to survive and England decreased. Lichens
reproduce. They passed on grow on tree trunks again.
their genes for their dark Thus, most peppered moths
colour to their offspring. are the pale variety.
6 7 8
Over several generations
of moths, more of the
offspring inherited dark
colour genes. Dark colour
moths became more
common.
extinction
The proportions of dark and pale peppered moths
changed over time when their environment changed.
If the population of pale and dark moths had not
changed, when the tree trunks became darker, most
of them could have been eaten by birds and might
have become extinct.
