BIO120H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Pelargonidin, Penstemon, Cyanidin
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BIO120H1 Full Course Notes
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How do the characteristics of organisms achieve life"s functions: this question asks for answers that focus on the functioning of the whole organism and also its organs, tissues, cells, organelles, and molecules. Reductionist explanation: an explanation that tells a clear, unambiguous story at the level of genes and molecules: this explanation is proximate- it doesn"t explain the underlying cause hence doesn"t answer the why question, example of a reductionist explanation: Questions: the wildflower penstemon strictus has blue flowers but its close relatives p. This is because they have differing biochemical pathways for the synthesis of anthocyanin pigments differ between the two species. Penstemon strictus makes an enzyme that sends a precursor compound into biosynthetic pathways that produce the blue purple pigments cyanidin and delphinidin. The genes that make red flowers spread through populations, replacing the blue genes.
