Genetics 101

From Chromosomes and the Double Helix to Cloning and DNA Tests, Everything You Need to Know about Genes

Beth Skwarecki

• Publisher: Adams Media
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781507207659
• Topic: Biowissenschaften
• Subtopic: Genetik & Genomik

A clear and straightforward explanation of genetics in this new edition of the popular 101 series. Our genetic makeup determines so much about who we are, and what we pass on to our children—from eye color, to height, to health, and even our longevity. Genetics 101 breaks down the science of how genes are inherited and passed from parents to offspring, what DNA is and how it works, how your DNA affects your health, and how you can use your personal genomics to find out more about who you are and where you come from. Whether you're looking for a better scientific understanding of genetics, or looking into your own DNA, Genetics 101 is your go-to source to discover more about both yourself and your ancestry.

INDEX

A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.

Actin, 31, 36

Adaptation, 190–92, 235

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 21, 119, 123

Alcohol, building, 16

Alcohol, drinking, 201–2

Alleles, 107–15, 124–27, 235

Alternative splicing, 35, 235

Amino acids, 19, 38–42, 48, 50, 55, 235

Amylases, 38

Ancestors

chromosomes and, 169–72

DNA and, 169–77

family trees and, 10, 124–32, 183–87, 210

mitochondrial ancestry, 170–71

relating to, 178–82

Ancestry services, 169–72

Antibiotic resistance, 64, 188, 204–9

Antibiotics, 64, 188, 204–9, 235

Apoptosis, 196, 235

Archaea, 62–63, 184, 187, 225

Atoms

carbon atoms, 16–18, 26, 39, 138

definition of, 235

explanation of, 16–19

hydrogen atoms, 16–18, 39, 138

nitrogen atoms, 17–18, 22, 39

oxygen atoms, 16–18, 21, 33, 39

phosphorus atoms, 17, 21

sulfur atoms, 17

Autosomal inheritance patterns, 1...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Introduction
• Your Cells’ Instruction Manual
• Atoms and Molecules
• Nucleotides
• The Double Helix
• How all that DNA Fits into Cells
• Transcription and RNA
• What Proteins Do
• Translation and Proteins
• Turning Genes On and Off
• Mutations
• What RNA Can Do
• Chromosomes and Cells
• Bacteria and the Microbiome
• Viruses
• Mushrooms and Yeast
• Plants and Crops
• Making More Cells
• DNA Replication
• Making Sperm Cells
• Making and Fertilizing Egg Cells
• Sex Chromosomes
• Why Two Copies?
• How We Inherit Our Traits
• Dominant and Recessive
• X-Linked Traits
• Mitochondrial DNA
• Family Trees and Autosomal Inheritance Patterns
• Special Inheritance Patterns
• Nature Versus Nurture
• Epigenetics
• Traits Caused by Many Genes
• Simple and Not-So-Simple Traits
• Personal Genomics
• Understanding Your Disease Risk
• Where Humans Came From
• How Much DNA Do You Share With a Stranger?
• How Personal DNA Ancestry Services Work
• Race, Ethnicity, and Ancestry
• Relating to Your Relatives
• A Family Tree for All Life
• Evolution
• DNA Repair
• Cancer Genetics
• Pharmacogenomics
• Antibiotic Resistance
• Questions and Ethical Quandaries
• Genetically Modified Crops
• Genetic Engineering Tools
• CRISPR and Gene Editing
• Cloning and De-Extinction
• Babies of the Future
• Glossary
• Photographs
• About the Author
• Index
• Copyright