AP Biology Unit 5

Big Idea:

Student Expectations:

Main Ideas

Big Idea 1: Evolution - The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life

Big Idea 3: Information - Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.

Big Idea 4: System - Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

Enduring Understanding

3.A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life.

3.B: Expression of genetic information involves cellular and molecular mechanisms.

3.C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a source of genetic variation.

3.D: Cells communicate by generating, transmitting and receiving chemical signals.

4.C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components within biological systems affects interactions with the environment.

Essential Knowledge

3.A.1: DNA, and in some cases RNA, is the primary source of heritable information.

3.A.2: In eukaryotes, heritable information is passed to the next generation via processes that include the cell cycle and mitosis or meiosis plus fertilization.

3.A.3: The chromosomal basis of inheritance provides an understanding of the pattern of passage (transmission) of genes from parent to offspring

3.A.4: The inheritance pattern of many traits cannot be explained by simple Mendelian genetics.

3.B.1: Gene regulation results in differential gene expression, leading to cell specialization

3.B.2: A variety of intercellular and intracellular signal transmissions mediate gene expression.

3.C.1: Changes in genotype can result in changes in phenotype.

3.C.2: Biological systems have multiple processes that increase genetic variation

3.D.1: Cell communication processes share common features that reflect a shared evolutionary history.

3.D.2: Cells communicate with each other through direct contact with other cells or from a distance via chemical signaling

3.D.3: Signal transduction pathways link signal reception with cellular response

3.D.4: Changes in signal transduction pathways can alter cellular response

4.C.1: Variation in molecular units provides cells with a wider range of functions.

Student Learning Targets:

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

• The differences between asexual and sexual reproduction.
• The role of meiosis and fertilization in sexually reproducing organisms.
• The importance of homologous chromosomes to meiosis.
• How the chromosome number is reduced for diploid to haploid through the stages of meiosis.
• Three important differences between mitosis and meisosis.
• The importance of crossing, independent assortment, and random fertilization to increasing genetic variability.

Mendel and the Gene Idea

• Terms associated with genetics problems: P, F₁, F₂, dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous, phenotypic, and genotypic.
• How to derive the proper gametes when working with a genetics problem.
• The difference between an allele and a gene.
• How to read a pedigree.

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance.

• How the chromosome theory of inheritance connects the physical movement of chromosomes in meiosis to Mendel’s laws of inheritance.
• The unique pattern of inheritance in sex-linked genes.
• How alteration of chromosome number or structurally altered chromosomes (deletions, duplications, etc.) can cause genetic disorders.

Molecular Genetics: The Molecular Basis of Inheritance.

• The structure of DNA.
• The major steps to replication.
• The difference between replication, transcription, and translation.
• How DNA is packaged into a chromosome

From Gene to Protein

• The key terms gene expression, transcription, and translation.
• How to explain the process of transcription.
• How eukaryotic cells modify RNA after transcription
• The steps to translation.
• How point mutations can change the amino acid sequence of a protein.

Regulation of Gene Expression

• The functions of the three parts of an operon.
• The role of repressor genes in operons.
• The impact of DNA methylation and histone acetylation on gene expression.
• The role of oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, and tumor suppressor genes in cancer.

Essential Questions:

• How do cells pass on the their traits to their progeny?

Extra Information:

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