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?Answer
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?Answer
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?Answer
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?Answer
c. Sexual reproduction does produce genetic variation. Why?Answer
d. Would you expect sexual reproduction to aid the evolutionary process? Why?Answer
