Chapter 8

Explain how cell division and cell death work together to form a functional multicellular organism.

If a cell contains all the genetic material it needs to synthesize protein, why must the DNA also replicate?

List the ways that binary fission is similar to and different from mitosis.

Seconds after thoroughly washing your hands, you grab a doorknob with your right hand. One million bacteria are transferred from the doorknob to your hand. You immediately put on latex gloves for a lab dissection; the gloves provide a warm, moist environment that is ideal for bacterial growth. If the bacteria divide once every 40 minutes, approximately how many bacteria will be on your right hand in 2 hours?

Which contains more DNA: a cell in \(G_{1}\) or a cell in \(G_{2}\) phase?

If you draw on your skin with a permanent marker, the markings will fade in a couple of days. What does this simple demonstration reveal about cell division in your skin? What can you infer about tattoos?

A protein called \(p 53\) promotes the expression of genes encoding DNA repair enzymes. Badly damaged DNA prompts p53 to trigger apoptosis, and the cell dies. Why might mutations in the gene encoding p53 be associated with a high risk for cancer?