Overview

Question 1

What is genetics?

Answer 1

The analysis of the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and how variation is inherited from parent to offspring

Question 2

What is human genetics?

Answer 2

Scientific study of inherited human variation

Question 3

What are 3 reasons to bother studying human genetics?

Answer 3

1. Medicine/human welfare: understanding diseases to improve the quality of life of people who suffer from that disease
2. Understanding ourselves and our place in evolution
3. Curiosity

Question 4

Is human genetics an applied or fundamental science?

Answer 4

Applied. Everything is done for a practical application

Question 5

Why are humans difficult to study compared to model eukaryotes?

Answer 5

Social, legal, ethical issues with humans that don’t exist with flies and worms and mice

Question 6

What are 8 reasons why studying human genetics is difficult compared to model eukaryotes?

Answer 6

1. Can’t control crosses or dictate genotypes in a cross
2. Slow generation time in humans
3. Mutagenesis studies are impossible outside of cell culture
4. Can’t select for genotypes or phenotypes of interest
5. No mechanism to transform and generate transgenic organisms
6. No true-breeding strains
7. Small number of offspring, so low sample sizes. Difficult to detect rare events
8. Can’t control variables and have to test hypotheses retrospectively