Genetics 101
Genetics is the study of this, a word centuries older for all characteristics passed down via the bloodline
Heredity
Eukaryotes are cells that have defined nuclei; change the prefix & you get these organisms that don’t, like bacteria
Prokaryotes
What do the letters "GMO" stand for in the context of food science and agriculture?
Genetically Modified Organisms
Trisomy 21, a condition where a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21, is also called this syndrome
“B”:
Adenine, Thymine, and Guanine are examples of these
Bases
In genetics, Yy stands for two genes; the capitalized Y is dominant & the lowercase one is this
Recessive
These human cells have no nucleus & do not contain genetic information
Red Blood Cells
Long before modern science labs existed, ancient farmers used this method to breed only the best crops over generations, eventually turning wild grasses into modern food
Selective Breeding
When an oncogene is “switched on”, this disease results in humans
Cancer
“A”:
You get one set of these alternative forms of genes from mom & one from dad
Alleles
In genetics, what the abbreviation DNA stands for
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
These repetitive, non-coding nucleotide sequences at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes protect vital genetic data from degradation during division
Telomeres
A genetically engineered one of these produce items went on sale in 1994 under the name Flavr Savr
Tomato
Hereditary condition resulting in absence of pigment
Albinism
“D”:
A specific type of mutation which occurs when one or more nucleotide base pairs are lost from a DNA sequence, potentially causing a frameshift
Deletion
A great many men delved into the mysteries of genetics before this pea brain did
Mendel
Latin for “little nut”, the center of a cell was named this because it looked like a little nut in a shell
Nucleus
In 1986, the U.S. issued the first patent on a plant produced through genetic engineering, a hybrid of this grain
Corn
As opposed to the dizygotic type of twins, where 2 eggs develop into 2 genetically different cells, in the monozygotic, or this type, the genetics are exactly the same
Identical
“F” “F”:
The Drosophilidae family of this insect is used extensively in genetics because of its short, 10-day life cycle
Fruit Fly
In 2011, virologist Ron Fouchier made bird flu more contagious by introducing these genetic changes – bad idea, some say
Mutations
It wasn’t until 1956 that it was established that human cells contain this diploid number of chromosomes
46
Beadle & Tatum’s study of mold on this food helped launch molecular genetics
It was long thought Neanderthals couldn’t do this, but the discovery they carried FOXP2, a gene linked to it, suggests they could
Speak
"C":
In myth, it’s a fire-breathing hybrid monster, in genetics, it’s an organism with 2 distinct sets of DNA
Chimera