DNA analysis

Question 1

What are 3 difference between mtDNA and DNA?

Answer 1

1. MtDNA is circular in shape
2. All male and female mtDNA comes from the mother
3. MtDNA shows high degrees of variation between unrelated people

Question 2

Describe the procedure used for PCR

Answer 2

1. DENATURATION
   
   • DNA heated to 94 degrees = double strand denatures and hydrogen bones break = two single strands
2. ANNEALING
   - primer added and marks the starting point for adding new bases and temp drops to 60 degrees
3. EXTENSION
   - temp increased to 72 degrees and Taq polymerase adds bases to the primer and forms 2 new DNA stands and temp raised to 94 degrees to restart

Question 3

Define the terms ‘tandem repeats’ and ‘variable number of tandem repeats’

Answer 3

TANDEM REPEATS - repeats right next to each other without any intervening base pairs

VNTR’s - variation in the number of repeats occurs from one individual to the next

Question 4

Describe the two types of sequence polymorphisms in alleles

Answer 4

SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS (SNP)
- one change to on base pair at a specific spot

LENGTH POLYMORPHISM
- repeating the code = increasing its length

Question 5

List the nucleotide bases and their pairs

Answer 5

ADENINE + THYMINE

GUANINE + CYTOSINE