Genetics & Evolution Vocabulary Flashcards (RIT 2025)

A vocabulary-focused set of flashcards covering information theory in biology, inheritance, genetics basics, population genetics, and evolutionary concepts drawn from the lecture notes.

Information (Biology)

Living systems store, retrieve, and transmit information; non-heritable information is transmitted within and between biological systems, while heritable information provides continuity of life.

Non-heritable information

Information transmitted within and between biological systems that is not passed to offspring.

Heritable information

Genetic information passed from parents to offspring that provides continuity of life.

Biodiversity

A type of information about the structure of an ecosystem, reflecting variation among organisms within that ecosystem.

Imperfect information transfer

When information transfer is imperfect, variation is produced in offspring.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; the molecule that stores genetic information in organisms.

Gene

A unit of heredity; a short segment of DNA that codes for a protein.

Allele

A variant form of a gene.

Trait

A characteristic determined by genes that can be inherited.

Genotype

The alleles carried by an individual for a gene or set of genes.

Phenotype

The observable traits of an individual, resulting from genetic and environmental factors.

Dominant

The allele whose trait is expressed in a heterozygote and matches the phenotype of one of the two homozygotes.

Recessive

The allele whose trait is not expressed in a heterozygote and is expressed only in homozygotes.

Homozygous

Having identical alleles for a given gene on both homologous chromosomes.

Heterozygous

Having different alleles for a given gene on homologous chromosomes.

Haploid

An organism or cell with one set of chromosomes.

Diploid

An organism or cell with two sets of chromosomes.

Chromosome

A structure that contains the physical localization of genetic information (DNA and proteins).

Zygote

Fertilized egg; the first cell of a new individual.

Mutation

An error or change in the genetic information that can introduce variation.

Recombination

Process by which genetic material is rearranged, increasing genetic variation (includes independent assortment and crossing over).

Independent assortment

During meiosis, different gene alleles assort independently into gametes, producing many combinations.

Crossing over

Exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis, creating new allele combinations.

Meiosis

Cell division that produces haploid gametes from a diploid parent, through meiosis I and II.

Allele frequency

Proportion of a given allele within a population (e.g., p and q for dominant/recessive alleles).

p (allele frequency)

Frequency of the dominant allele in a population.

q (allele frequency)

Frequency of the recessive allele in a population.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

The condition in which allele and genotype frequencies in a population remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary forces.

Carrier

An individual who is heterozygous for a recessive allele and typically not affected but can pass the allele to offspring.

PKU (Phenylketonuria)

An autosomal recessive disorder that can cause mental disability if untreated.

Autosomal recessive

A pattern of inheritance where a trait/disease is expressed only when two recessive alleles are present on autosomes.

Sickle-cell anemia

A genetic disease where homozygous recessive individuals have sickle-shaped cells; heterozygotes (Ss) have malaria resistance in some regions.

Heterozygous advantage

When heterozygotes have higher fitness than either homozygote, often maintaining both alleles in a population.

Incomplete dominance

Heterozygotes show an intermediate phenotype (e.g., pink flowers from red and white parents).

Codominance

Both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed in the phenotype.

Multiple alleles

A gene has more than two alleles in a population (e.g., more than two variants exist for a gene).

Genotype vs. phenotype

Genotype is the genetic makeup (alleles); phenotype is the observable traits resulting from genotype and environment.

Gene pool

All of the different alleles of all genes present in all individuals of a population.

Population

Individuals of the same species living in the same location at the same time, capable of interbreeding.

Evolution

Change in allele frequencies in a population over generations.

Speciation

The process by which new species arise from existing populations through evolutionary forces.