Module 6: Genetic Change
9 dot points across 3 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.
Inquiry Question 2: How do genetic techniques affect Earth's biodiversity?
- Investigate the uses and applications of biotechnology (past, present and future), including: analysing the social implications and ethical uses of biotechnology, including plant and animal examples; researching and evaluating the development and use of a biotechnology
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on biotechnology uses. Agricultural (Bt cotton, golden rice), medical (recombinant insulin, gene therapy), industrial (rennet, biofuels) and forensic applications, with a balanced analysis of the social and ethical implications.
8 min answer → - Evaluate the effects of biotechnology on the genetic diversity of agricultural and natural populations, and the impact on biodiversity
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on biotechnology and biodiversity. The narrowing effect of monocultures and cloning, gene flow to wild relatives, herbicide and insecticide resistance, conservation applications (gene banks, de-extinction), and an evaluative judgement on net impact.
8 min answer →
Inquiry Question 1: How does mutation introduce new alleles into a population?
- Explain how a range of mutagens operate, including but not limited to: electromagnetic radiation sources, chemicals, naturally occurring mutagens
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on mutagens. Physical mutagens (UV, X-rays, gamma rays), chemical mutagens (base analogues, alkylating agents, intercalators) and biological mutagens (viruses, transposons), with named examples and the molecular mechanism by which each damages DNA.
7 min answer → - Assess the significance of 'coding' and 'non-coding' DNA segments in the process of mutation and investigate the effects of different mutations on a protein's amino acid sequence
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on how mutations alter protein products. Coding versus non-coding regions, silent missense and nonsense substitutions, frameshift consequences, splice-site mutations, and a worked sickle cell example.
7 min answer → - Investigate the causes of genetic variation relating to the changes and conservation of the DNA sequence including: variations in gametes due to crossing over and segregation in meiosis, the cell replication processes that allow the conservation, variation and mutation of DNA, and the contribution of mutation to genetic variation and evolution
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on the sources of genetic variation. Meiotic shuffling (independent assortment, crossing over, random fertilisation), DNA replication fidelity, mutation as the ultimate source of new alleles, and the link to natural selection and evolution.
7 min answer → - Investigate the causes of genetic variation relating to the changes and conservation of the DNA sequence including: the use of pedigree analysis to identify patterns of inheritance and mutation
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on pedigree analysis. How to identify autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, X-linked recessive and X-linked dominant inheritance patterns from pedigree charts, with a worked haemophilia example and rules for spotting new mutations.
7 min answer → - Explain how a range of mutagens operate, including but not limited to: electromagnetic radiation sources, chemicals, naturally occurring mutagens; and classify different types of mutation including point, silent, frameshift and chromosomal mutations
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on classifying mutations. Covers point mutations (substitution, insertion, deletion), silent vs missense vs nonsense, frameshift effects on reading frame, and chromosomal mutations (deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation, non-disjunction).
7 min answer →
Inquiry Question 3: Does artificial manipulation of DNA have the potential to change populations forever?
- Evaluate the benefits of using genetic technologies in agricultural, medical and industrial applications, and the future directions and potential impacts of genetic technologies on society
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on the future of genetic research. Germline gene editing (He Jiankui case, prime editing), gene drives for mosquito control, synthetic biology, xenotransplantation, RNA therapeutics and the regulatory and ethical questions they raise.
8 min answer → - Investigate the uses and applications of genetic technologies (past, present and future), including: recombinant DNA technology, CRISPR-Cas9, whole genome sequencing, gene therapy and cloning of transgenic species
A focused answer to the HSC Biology Module 6 dot point on genetic technologies. Recombinant DNA (restriction enzymes, ligase, plasmid vectors), CRISPR-Cas9 mechanism, whole genome sequencing, gene therapy (somatic vs germline) and cloning of transgenic species, with named examples.
9 min answer →