3 types of consumers

Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores

Abiotic
Non-living

Adaptation
A trait that helps an organism survive and
reproduce

Allele
2 different versions of gene for a trait

Antibodies
Attach to invaders to signal to the white blood cells
to attack the invader

Antigens
Refer to the invaders (viruses and bacteria) that
infect the body

Attenuated vaccine
Contain modified or altered pathogen (ex: measles virus altered to
prefer cold environment instead of warm environment)

Autotroph
An organism that makes its own energy

Cisgenic
When the gene is transferred between SIMILAR plant
or animal species

commensalism
A symbiotic relationship where one organism
benefits and one does not benefit but is
unharmed; Benefit + neutral = commensalism

Constipation
Causes hardened feces; when water is absorbed too
much by the colon

decomposers

Type of heterotroph that eat fragments of

dead matter

Diarrhea

Causes watery feces; when water is NOT

absorbed by the colon

DNA
molecule that carries genetic information

DNA fingerprinting
Also called gel electrophoresis; The process where DNA fragments
are separated for comparing genetic information

Dominant allele
Masks the expression of a recessive trait; represented
by a CAPITAL letter

Double-helix
shape of DNA

Ecosystem
Refers to a region that includes both living and nonliving things

Embryo
Organisms before they are born

Evolution
Change in species over time

Extinct
To die off completely

Five types of evidence for

evolution
1) DNA similarity 2) homologous structures 3)
vestigial structures 4) embryos 5) fossils

Frameshift mutation
mutation where the reading frame changes so the
mutation affects ALL bases that follow it

Gene therapy

Using genetic engineering to find cures and therapies

for illnesses

Genetic engineering
Technology through which humans can alter
genetic instructions in organisms

G.M.O
Stands for genetically modified organisms

Heterotroph
An organism that depends on others for
energy

heterozygous
two different alleles (Aa)

Homologous Structure
Similar structure but different function

Homozygous
two of the same alleles AA or aa

Integumentary system
Protects our bodies and receives sensory
information from the skin

Large intestine
Also known as the colon; where water is
absorbed

Level in the energy pyramid that

has the most energy
producers

Levels of organizations for body

systems
Cells tissues organs organ systems
organism

Mutation
unintentional change in a DNA sequence

mutualism
A symbiotic relationship where both organisms
benefit; Benefit + Benefit = mutualism

Natural selection
Process where those who are better suited for their
environment are more likely to survive and reproduce

Parasitism
A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits
and one is harmed; Benefit + Harmed = parasitism

Pathway of digestive system

Mouth esophagus stomach small intestine
large intestine

Peristalsis
Movement that causes food to move down in a
wave-like motion in the esophagus

Point mutation
one base nucleotide changes into another
base; also called substitution

Predator
The hunter

Prey
The hunted

Recessive allele
Trait that gets masked by a dominant trait;
represented by a lower case letter (e.g. a, b, c)

Restriction enzymes
A genetic engineering technique used to cut DNA in
specific places

Similar pathogen vaccine

Vaccines that contain pathogens similar to the disease you are
targeting (ex: smallpox vaccine containing cowpox virus)

Small intestine
Where most of the digestion happens and nutrients
are absorbed

Subunit vaccine
Vaccine that makes use of just a small portion of a
pathogen (ex: hepatitis virus)

Vestigial Structure
Structure that has little or no purpose now but may
have been useful in the past

White blood cells

Cells in the blood that attack invaders after they get
into the body