Chromosomes, genes and alleles
What is a eukaryote chromosome made from?
DNA and protein
State that chromosomes can be stained to show banding
State that chromosome structure and banding can be used to arrange the chromosomes in their pairs
Describe one application of karyotyping
Karyotyping can be used not only to diagnose aneuploidy, which is responsible for Down, Turner’s, and Klinefelter’s syndromes, but also to identify the chromosomal aberrations associated with solid tumours such as Wilms’ tumour, meningioma, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, renal-cell carcinoma, small-cell lung cancer, and certain leukemias and lymphomas.
Define Gene
An heritable factor that controls a specific characteristic, consisting of a length of DNA occupying a position on a chromosome known as a locus.
Define allele
One specific form of a gene, differing from other alleles by one or a few bases only and occupying the same gene locus as other alleles of the gene.
Define genome
The total genetic material of an organelle, cell or organism.



November 3rd, 2009
