CENTRAL PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY

Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

College of Teacher Education

NAME : SAMANTHA B. BAÑAS DATE: 12/11/21 RATING : _________

SUBJECT: GENETICS SECTION: BSED III SCIENCE

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY NO. 1

INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS
1. Write I if the following trait is inherited and A if it is environmentally acquired. If
inherited. Write down whether it is physical or a physiological trait.
a. Flower color in plants I (Physical trait)
b. Coat color in cattle I (Physical trait)
c. Seed coat in plants I (Physical trait)
d. Ability to produce insulin I (Physiological trait)
in humans
e. Inborn Diseases I (Physiological trait)
f. Immunity to diseases I (Physiological trait)
g. Height I (Physical trait)
h. Blood type AB I (Physiological)
i. Baldness I (Physical)
j. Left-handedness A
k. Acquired Obesity A
l. Color blindness I (Physiological trait)
m. Mental retardation I (Physiological trait)
n. Bone structure I (Physiological trait)
o. Speech I (Physiological trait)

2. Explain one factor that led to the success of Mendel’s experiments.

The garden pea plant, which is an annual, naturally self-pollinating plant with multiple pairs of
opposing features, was chosen by Mendel for his experiment. He studien one character at a time.
Mendel's success was largely due to the fact that he only used one character at a time in his
hybridization studies. So it was simple. Other scientists used cross-hybridization for a variety of
traits, which complicated the tests and left them unable to explain the results adequately.
3. If you were to choose between a fruit fly and a mouse for an experimental organism in
genetics, what would you choose? List down three reasons for your answer

I am going to choose fruit fly. Reasons are the ff.:

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 CENTRAL PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY
Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
College of Teacher Education

 Fruit flies have a very simple genetic structure, which makes them ideal for genetic research.
It is useful to study mutant fruit flies, as their quick reproduction rate allows scientists to
observe the advantages and disadvantages of certain mutations.
 Due to their small size and minimal requirements, many Drosophila can be raised and tested
within a small laboratory which does not have access time, space or funding.
 Fruit flies are well suited for space biology research because maintaining a large population
requires few resources and little equipment. Also, their short life cycle allows scientists to
study several generations in a single month.
4. A child born with six fingers on each hand (polydactyl), had the extra fingers removed by
surgery shortly after birth. Polydactyl occurs only in persons who have at least one
polydactylous parent. Will the removal of the extra fingers mean that this child will not
have polydactylous children? Why?
Polydactyly is often pass from parent to offspring through genes which is called autosomal
dominant inheritance. This is usually genetic (can happen to both male and female equally) so
even if an individual undergoes surgery, he/she can still pass this condition to his/her next
generation. Surgery is only a physical removal, and not a gene removal.

5. Differentiate the following terms:

A. Trait -A trait is a specific characteristic of an organism. Traits can be determined by genes or the
environment, or more commonly by interactions between them. The genetic contribution to a trait is
called the genotype. The outward expression of the genotype is called the phenotype.
B. Gene - The basic unit of heredity that occupies a specific location on a chromosome. Each consists
of nucleotides arranged in a linear manner. Most genes code for a specific protein or segment of
protein leading to a particular characteristic or function.
C. Dominant gene - A dominant gene, or a dominant version of a gene, is a particular variant of a
gene, which for a variety of reasons, expresses itself more strongly all by itself than any other version
of the gene which the person is carrying.
D. Recessive gene - Recessive refers to a type of allele which will not be manifested in an individual
unless both of the individual's copies of that gene have that particular genotype.
E. Pedigree analysis - A pedigree is a genetic representation of a family tree that diagrams the
inheritance of a trait or disease though several generations. The pedigree shows the relationships
between family members and indicates which individuals express or silently carry the trait in
question
F. Planned breeding experiment -

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 CENTRAL PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY
Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
College of Teacher Education

G. Population genetics - Population genetics is the study of genetic variation within and among
populations and the evolutionary factors that explain this variation. Its foundation is the Hardy -
Weinberg law, which is maintained as long as population size is large, mating is at random, and
mutation, selection and migration are negligible.
H. Molecular genetics - Molecular genetics (MG) is a scientific discipline concerned with the
structure and function of genes at the molecular level and includes the technique of genetic
engineering, which can be defined as the direct manipulation of an organism's genome.
6. List down two uses of genetics in each of the following fields:
Flora and Fauna
1.) Genetic modification - Agricultural plants are one of the most frequently cited examples of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture
are increased crop yields, reduced costs for food or drug production, reduced need for
pesticides, enhanced nutrient composition and food quality, resistance to pests and disease,
greater food security, and medical benefits to the world's growing population. Advances
have also been made in developing crops that mature faster and tolerate aluminum, boron,
salt, drought, frost, and other environmental stressors, allowing plants to grow in conditions
where they might not otherwise flourish (Table 1; Takeda & Matsuoka, 2008). Other
applications include the production of nonprotein (bioplastic) or nonindustrial (ornamental
plant) products. A number of animals have also been genetically engineered to increase yield
and decrease susceptibility to disease.

2. ) The application of DNA markers in Agriculture - Since the advance of the first generation
molecular marker technology restricted fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) in 1980 [5], various DNA markers were developed and used in biology research,
such as DNA random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP),
amplified fragment length polymorphism, (AFLP) and sequence-related amplified polymorphism
(SRAP) etc. Compared with the traditional morphological markers, cytological markers, and
biochemistry markers, DNA markers have much more information and higher polymorphism, and can
work without the influence of plant organs, developmental stages and various environmental factors,
which have been widely used in identification of crop varieties, conservation and evaluation of plant
germplasm resource, analysis of genetic adversity and evolution, construction of genetic maps,
cloning of important agronomic trait genes, and molecular mark assisted breeding.
Medicine
1.) Genetic techniques are used in medicine to diagnose and treat inherited human disorders.

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 CENTRAL PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY
Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
College of Teacher Education

Knowledge of a family history of conditions such as cancer or various disorders may indicate
a hereditary tendency to develop these afflictions. Cells from embryonic tissues reveal
certain genetic abnormalities, including enzyme deficiencies, that may be present in
newborn babies, thus permitting early treatment. Many countries require a blood test of
newborn babies to determine the presence of an enzyme necessary to convert an amino
acid, phenylalanine, into simpler products. Phenylketonuria (PKU), which results from lack of
the enzyme, causes permanent brain damage if not treated soon after birth. Many different
types of human genetic diseases can be detected in embryos as young as 12 weeks; the
procedure involves removal and testing of a small amount of fluid from around the embryo
(called amniocentesis) or of tissue from the placenta (called chorionic villus sampling)
2.) In medicine, genetic engineering has been used to mass-produce insulin, human growth
hormones, follistim (for treating infertility), human albumin, monoclonal antibodies,
antihemophilic factors, vaccines, and many other drugs.
Industry
1.) Various industries employ geneticists; the brewing industry, for example, may use geneticists
to improve the strains of yeast that produce alcohol. The pharmaceutical industry has
developed strains of molds, bacteria, and other microorganisms high in antibiotic yield.
Penicillin and cyclosporin from fungi, and streptomycin and ampicillin from bacteria, are
some examples
2.) Industrial biotechnology uses enzymes and micro-organisms to make bio-based products in
sectors such as chemicals, food ingredients, detergents, paper, textiles and biofuels. Industrial
biotechnology is one of the most promising technologies around; it has the potential to address
some of the world’s greatest challenges, such as feeding a growing population and offering new
alternatives to our scarce natural resources. Although there is a long way to go, if industrial
biotechnology reaches its full potential it has the potential to impact the world.

7. Choose ONE of the ethical or social issues in parts a through e , encircle the letter of your
choice and give your opinion on the following issue:
a. Should a person’s genetic makeup be used in determining his or her eligibility for life
insurance?
b. Should biotechnology companies be able to patent newly sequenced genes?
c. Should gene therapy be used in people?
d. Should genetic testing be made available for inherited disorders for which there is no
treatment or cure?
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 CENTRAL PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY
Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
College of Teacher Education

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8. A 45-year-old woman undergoes genetic testing and discovers that she is at high risk for
developing colon cancer and Alzheimer disease. Because her children have 50% of her genes,
they may also be at an increased risk for these diseases. Does she have a moral or legal
obligation to tell her children and other close relatives about the results of her genetic testing?
Yes, she has legal obligation to tell her children and close relatives about the results of her genetic
testing. Her family should be the first persons to know about her condition, this is a way of letting her
family help her, and letting them be aware of possible diseases her children may acquire to take
actions immediately or seek help from medical practitioners. This is also a way of helping her children
to take care of their health and not worsen the condition if it happens.
Do you support or oppose the development of genetically engineered foods (genetically
modified organisms, or GMOs)? Find someone who takes the opposite position and discuss
this question with them. Think about the economic and environmental benefits, health risks,
ecological effects, and social impact of their use. List some reasons for and against genetically
engineering the foods we eat.

FOR AGAINST

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