Genetic Switches

This two-slide tutorial describes how genetic switches, regulatory elements in DNA, control gene expression. In this interactive, students explore two examples: the regulation of the Pitx1 gene in stickleback fish, which affects body morphology, and the regulation of the “paintbrush” gene in Drosophila fruit flies, which affects wing pigmentation.

Topics

  • natural selection
  • Drosophila
  • fruit flies
  • Genetic Switches
  • DNA
  • Pitx1 gene
  • Gene expression
  • Gene Regulation
  • Stickleback fish