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Thinking Scientifically
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1. Concerning the genetic material:

a. Which form--chromatin or chromosomes--would you expect to be metabolically active? Why?

Answer

b. The genes are part of the chromosomes. Ordinarily, a person inherits two copies of a gene--one from the mother and one from the father. Does it seem reasonable that the two copies of the gene might be different forms of the gene?

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c. The genes direct protein (enzyme) synthesis. Why do you suppose a person with three chromosomes of the same kind might suffer from various disorders?

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d. Not all genes are active in all cells. For example, why might a defective gene not adversely affect the maturation of a sperm or an egg?

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2. Concerning cell division:

a. The drug colchicine prevents cell division from finishing. What part of a dividing cell do you suppose it disrupts?

Answer

b. Asexual reproduction ordinarily does not produce genetic variation. Why not?

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c. Sexual reproduction does produce genetic variation. Why?

Answer

d. Would you expect sexual reproduction to aid the evolutionary process? Why?

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