BIOLOGY 116 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Ciliate, Reassortment, Dna Replication
Document Summary
Sex: any process that results in exchange of genetic matter and may not involve reproduction. Gender: biologically determined by which gamete retains intracellular organelles when the gametes merge. 1 gender (usually female) retains the organelles while the other (usually male) contributes only the nucleus and not organelles. Creates with hundreds of genders + human social constructs. Only nucleus from the sperm enters the ovum, so by definition sperm is male + ovum is female (retains organelles) 1 key issue = whether offspring are identical to parents or not. No completely satisfactory answer to why organisms have sex. Asexual organisms can reproduce + spread much faster than sexual organisms. Genetic variation during asexual reproduction due to genetic mistakes. Sex increases variation, which provides resistance to stresses such as disease, but at a cost . Offspring = genetically identical to one another + parent.
