Genetic Vocab
What is Heredity?
The passing of traits from parents to offspring.
Who was Gregor Mendel?
He is known as the "Father of Genetics" for his experiments with pea plants.
What is DNA?
The molecule that contains the instructions for an organism's development.
What is a Punnett square?
The diagram used to predict the results of a genetic cross.
What is asexual reproduction?
The form of reproduction where the offspring are genetically identical to the parent.
What is a Gene?
A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait, like eye color.
What is a dominant allele?
In Mendel's pea plants, this type of allele is always expressed when it is present.
What are chromosomes?
Tightly coiled structures made of DNA, located in the nucleus of most living cells.
What are the letters written outside the boxes?
The parents genotypes
What is an inherited trait?
A characteristic that is passed down from parents to offspring, like having a widow's peak.
What is a phenotype?
The physical appearance or visible trait of an organism, such as brown eyes.
What is a recessive allele?
In Mendel's pea plants, this type of allele is only expressed if two copies are present.
What is deoxyribonucleic acid?
This is the full name of the famous DNA molecule.
The number of squares in a punnet square?
4
What is a pedigree?
This chart is used to track inherited traits through multiple generations of a family.
What is a genotype?
The genetic makeup of an organism, represented by letters like “Bb”
What is the Law of Segregation?
This law states that alleles for a trait separate into different gametes during meiosis.
Nearly every human cell has this many pairs of chromosomes.
23
The number of letters in each parents genetic code
2
What is a mutation?
This process can result in new traits that may help an organism survive in its environment.
What is an Allele?
Different versions of the same gene.
What is the Law of Independent Assortment?
Genes for different traits are inherited independently of one another during gamete formation.
What is a deletion mutation?
A type of mutation where a piece of a chromosome breaks off and is lost.
What is heterozygous?
The genetic combination for a hybrid offspring.
What is XY?
The combination of chromosomes that results in a male human.