Asexual and Sexual Reproduction – 3.1B, 3.2B

Genetics – (1BI0): Higher Tier

In this course, Dr Matt Ivory (Cardiff University) takes us through genetics, including topics 3.1B, 3.2B, 3.3-3.6, 3.7B-3.10B & 3.21-3.23 in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology (9-1) Higher Specification. We begin (i) with discussing sexual and asexual reproduction and the advantages and disadvantages of these types of reproduction (Topics 3.1B, 3.2B); we then (ii) focus on reproduction on a cellular level by describing meiosis (Topic 3.3); following this (iii) we enter the subcellular level and examining DNA, its structure and components (Topic 3.4); we move on (iv) to look at how DNA is used to make proteins including transcription and translation (Topic 3.8B); we then (v) develop our understanding of DNA and discuss how changes to coding and non-coding DNA can lead to genetic variation (Topics 3.7B, 3.9B, 3.10B); next (vi) we look at types of mutations and how they may impact an organisms phenotype (Topics 3.22, 3.23); we move on (vii) to look at the entire genome of an organism, define what a genome is and discuss the Human Genome Project and its application in further the world of medicine (Topics 3.5, 3.21); we finish up (viii) the course with a classic experiment demonstrating how to extract DNA from fruit (Topic 3.6).

Asexual and Sexual Reproduction – 3.1B, 3.2B

In this first mini-lecture, we discuss how organisms can reproduce, both sexually and asexually. We define both sexual and asexual reproduction, describe how they differ from one another and discuss some examples of asexual reproduction. We look at some of the advantages that either process has over the other, and then finish up with an example of an organism that reproduces both sexually and asexually.