AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should be able to describe simply how the genome and its…
Full specification wording
Variation: Students should be able to describe simply how the genome and its interaction with the environment influence the development of the phenotype of an organism.
The genome is the entire genetic material of an organism.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 6
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The genome is the entire genetic material of an organism. Genes within the genome code for proteins that help build and control the organism, so the genome provides the instructions that influence characteristics such as eye colour, blood group and height potential. However, the phenotype is not fixed by genes alone. The environment interacts with the genome throughout development. For example, a person may inherit genes for tall stature, but nutrition during childhood affects how tall they actually grow. Plant height depends on genes and on light, water and mineral availability. Some characteristics, such as blood group, are determined mainly by genes, while others, such as body mass or language spoken, are influenced strongly by the environment. The phenotype is therefore the result of both genetic instructions and environmental conditions.
What earns the marks
- Define the genome as the entire genetic material of an organism.
- State that genes code for proteins that influence the development of characteristics.
- Explain that the phenotype is influenced by the genome and by environmental factors.
- Give an example where both genes and environment affect a characteristic, such as height being influenced by genes and nutrition.
- Recognise that some characteristics are determined mainly by genes, while others are influenced strongly by the environment.
- Describe the interaction as the combined effect of genetic instructions and environmental conditions during development.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Saying the environment changes the genome itself.
Put it right: The environment affects how genes are expressed and how the organism develops, not the DNA sequence.
Treating phenotype as determined only by genes.
Put it right: Both genetic and environmental factors contribute.
Confusing the genome with a single gene.
Put it right: The genome is the entire genetic material, not just one gene.
Exam tips
- Use the terms genome, gene, phenotype and environment accurately in your answer.
- Include at least one named example where genes and environment both affect a characteristic.
- Explain the interaction rather than listing genes and environment separately.
Try the lesson
The start of the Variation: Students should be able to describe simply how the genome and its interaction with the environment influence the development of the phenotype of an organism. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which statement best describes how the genome and the environment interact to influence the phenotype of an organism?
Listen
The genome is the entire genetic material of an organism. Genes within the genome code for proteins that help build and control the organism, so the genome provides the instructions that influence characteristics such as eye colour, blood group and height potential. However, the phenotype is not fixed by genes alone. The environment interacts with the genome throughout development. For example, a person may inherit genes for tall stature, but nutrition during childhood affects how tall they actually grow. Plant height depends on genes and on light, water and mineral availability. Some characteristics, such as blood group, are determined mainly by genes, while others, such as body mass or language spoken, are influenced strongly by the environment. The phenotype is therefore the result of both genetic instructions and environmental conditions. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Define the genome as the entire genetic material of an organism. State that genes code for proteins that influence the development of characteristics. Explain that the phenotype is influenced by the genome and by environmental factors. Give an example where both genes and environment affect a characteristic, such as height being influenced by genes and nutrition. Exam tip: Use the terms genome, gene, phenotype and environment accurately in your answer.
See it
Key words
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Genome
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Genes
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Phenotype
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Gene-environment interaction
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See every definition
- Genome
- The entire genetic material of an organism, providing the instructions that influence characteristics.
- Genes
- Parts of the genome that code for proteins that help build and control the organism and influence the development of characteristics.
- Phenotype
- The result of both genetic instructions and environmental conditions, influenced by the genome and by environmental factors.
- Gene-environment interaction
- The combined effect of genetic instructions and environmental conditions during development, so the phenotype is not fixed by genes alone.
Label the diagram
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