Honors Biology Vocab Quiz

genetics

the scientific study of heredity

genes

the basic units of heredity that are made of DNA

heredity

the transmission of traits from one generation to the next

gregor mendel

"father of genetics" - first person to analyze patterns of inheritance and came up with basic principles for genetics

character

a heritable feature that varies among individuals, such as hair color

trait

a variant for a character (hair color = blonde, black, brown?)

hybrids

an offspring of 2 different true breeding varities

p generation

parental generation (purple x white)

f1 generation

hybrid offspring of the p generation (all purple)

f2 generation

offspring of the f1 generation (3:1 purple:white)

alleles

alternative or different forms of genes

homozygous

the alleles are identical AA or aa

heterozygous

the alleles are different Aa

dominant allele

the allele that determines the organism's appearance

recessive allele

the allele with no noticeable effect on the appearance

law of segregation

the two copies of alleles seperate during gamete formation

punnett square

shows 4 possible combinations of gametes and offspring that results from a cross between parents

genotype

organisms genetic makeup

phenotype

organisms physical traits

dihybrid cross

a cross of parental varities differing in two characters

law of independent assortment

the inheritance of one character has no effect on the inheritance of another character

test cross

mating between an individual with demoniant phenotype (but unknown genotype) and a homozygous recessive individual

wild-type traits

these traits are seen most often in nature and not necessarily specified by dominant alleles

pedigree

family trees that show inheritance of traits

carriers

individuals who have the recessive allele but appear normal

inbreeding

mating of close relatives

incomplete dominance

f hybrids have an appearance between the phenotypes of the two parents

codominance

when both alleles are expressed in phenotype of offspring