Beyond Mendelian Genetics

These flashcards cover vocabulary related to non-Mendelian genetics, including definitions of key terms, inheritance patterns, and examples of complex traits.

Incomplete Dominance

A form of inheritance where the phenotype of heterozygotes is intermediate between those of the two homozygotes.

Codominance

A form of dominance where both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed, resulting in a phenotype that is neither dominant nor recessive.

Multiple Alleles

A situation in which a single gene has more than two alleles, such as the ABO blood group system.

Pleiotropy

The condition where a single gene influences multiple phenotypic traits.

Polygenic Inheritance

A type of inheritance where multiple genes determine a single trait, resulting in continuous variation.

Epistasis

A genetic interaction where one gene can mask or modify the effects of another gene.

Environmental Influence

Factors from the environment that affect gene expression and phenotype.

Multifactorial Traits

Traits influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors.

Complete Dominance

A type of inheritance in which one allele completely masks the effect of another allele.

Quantitative Inheritance

Inheritance of a trait that can be measured on a continuous scale, influenced by multiple genes.

Carriers

Individuals who carry a recessive allele but do not express its phenotype.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual, often represented by alleles.

Phenotype

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.

Hybrid

An offspring resulting from the combination of two different varieties or species.

Sex Linkage

Inheritance patterns that are associated with genes located on sex chromosomes.

Linkage and Recombination

The process by which genes that are close together on a chromosome tend to be inherited together.

3:1 Ratio

The expected phenotypic ratio in the offspring of a monohybrid cross under Mendelian inheritance.

9:3:3:1 Ratio

The expected phenotypic ratio resulting from a dihybrid cross in Mendelian genetics.

Phenotypic Spectrum

The range of observable traits within a species that can vary due to genetic and environmental factors.

Human Height

An example of a trait that exhibits polygenic inheritance.

Sunflower Color

A trait influenced by multiple alleles in a population.

Pain Tolerance

An example of a trait that can be affected by pleiotropy, such as the red hair gene.

Siamese Cats Coat Color

A temperature-sensitive trait influenced by environmental factors.

Hydrangea Color

An example of how pH levels in the soil can influence the phenotype of a plant.

Type 2 Diabetes

A health condition considered a multifactorial trait, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

Schizophrenia

A psychiatric condition that may result from a combination of genetic predispositions and environmental triggers.