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United StatesBiology

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do biotechnology tools let us manipulate and analyze DNA?

Topic 6.8 Biotechnology: describe the main biotechnology techniques (PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction enzymes, sequencing) and explain how they are used.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.8, covering PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction enzymes, DNA cloning and sequencing, and how these tools are applied, with a worked PCR amplification calculation.
11 min answer →

How is the structure of DNA and RNA suited to storing and carrying genetic information?

Topic 6.1 DNA and RNA Structure: describe the structure of DNA and RNA and explain how it suits their role in storing and transmitting genetic information.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.1, covering the double helix, antiparallel strands, complementary base pairing, the sugar-phosphate backbone, and the differences between DNA and RNA, with a worked base-pairing calculation.
10 min answer →

How do cells with identical DNA become different cell types?

Topic 6.6 Gene Expression and Cell Specialization: explain how differential gene expression produces specialized cell types from one genome.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.6, covering differential gene expression, cell differentiation, the role of signalling and transcription factors, stem cells, and how one genome builds many cell types, with a worked example.
10 min answer →

How do changes in DNA affect gene products and phenotypes?

Topic 6.7 Mutations: explain the types of mutations and how they affect gene products, phenotype and the variation available to a population.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.7, covering point mutations (silent, missense, nonsense), frameshift mutations, chromosomal mutations, their effects on proteins and phenotype, and their role as the source of new variation, with a worked example.
10 min answer →

How do cells control which genes are expressed and when?

Topic 6.5 Regulation of Gene Expression: explain how gene expression is regulated in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including operons and regulatory sequences.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.5, covering the lac and trp operons, promoters, regulatory sequences, transcription factors and epigenetic control, and how regulation lets cells respond to the environment, with a worked operon example.
11 min answer →

How is DNA copied accurately before cell division?

Topic 6.2 Replication: explain how DNA is replicated semiconservatively, including the roles of the key enzymes and the leading and lagging strands.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.2, covering semiconservative replication, helicase, DNA polymerase, the leading and lagging strands, Okazaki fragments and ligase, with a worked replication problem.
10 min answer →

How is the information in a gene copied into messenger RNA?

Topic 6.3 Transcription and RNA Processing: explain how RNA polymerase transcribes a gene into mRNA and how the primary transcript is processed in eukaryotes.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.3, covering RNA polymerase, the template strand, the differences between transcription and replication, and eukaryotic RNA processing (cap, tail, splicing), with a worked transcription example.
10 min answer →

How is the genetic code translated from mRNA into a protein?

Topic 6.4 Translation: explain how the ribosome translates mRNA codons into a polypeptide, including the roles of tRNA and the genetic code.
A focused answer to AP Biology Topic 6.4, covering codons, the genetic code, the roles of mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes, the stages of translation, and using a codon table, with a worked translation problem.
10 min answer →