Lecture 1 - Intro

Question 1

Describe the four characteristics of living things.

Answer 1

1. Complex
2. Able to change in response to environment

3. Able to reproduce
4. Have the capacity to evolve

Question 2

Define a cell.

Answer 2

A cell is the simplest self-replicating entity that can exist as an independent unit of life. Cells come in many shapes and sizes.

Question 3

What are three essential features of all cells?

Answer 3

1. Store and transmit information.
2. Plasma membrane: separates cellular material from the environment.
3. Harness energy from the environment: converts energy from sugar to ATP

Question 4

What is the central dogma?

Answer 4

The flow of information within a cell.

• DNA to RNA (transcription)
• RNA to protein (translation)