Essential Questions: 

How does gene regulation relate to the continuity of life? 

How is a species’ genetic information diversified from generation to generation?

Unit Learning Objectives for Unit 6  - Gene Expression from the AP® curriculum

By the end of the unit you should be able to... 

Students will be able to….

• Describe the structures involved in passing hereditary information from one generation to the next.

• Describe the characteristics of DNA that allow it to be used as the hereditary material.

• Describe the mechanisms by which genetic information is copied for transmission between generations.

• Describe the mechanisms by which genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein.

• Explain how the phenotype of an organism is determined by its genotype.

• Describe the types of interactions that regulate gene expression.

• Explain how the location of regulatory sequences relates to their function.

• Explain how the binding of transcription factors to promoter regions affects gene expression and/or the phenotype of the organism

• Explain the connection between the regulation of gene expression and phenotypic differences in cells and organisms.

• Describe the various types of mutation.

• Explain how changes in genotype may result in changes in phenotype

• Explain how alterations in DNA sequences contribute to variation that can be subject to natural selection

• Explain the use of genetic engineering techniques in analyzing or manipulating DNA.

Unit 6 Understandings - Knowledge to Understand by the End of the Unit