Melanin Storyline: Introduction to Genetics

dominant allele

an allele whose trait always shows up in an organism when that allele is present; represented by a capital letter

recessive allele

an allele that is hidden whenever the dominant allele is present; represented by a lowercase letter

homozygous (purebred)

having two identical alleles for a trait

heterozygous (hybrid)

having two different alleles for a trait

genetics

the study of heredity

heredity

passing of physical characteristics from parents to offspring

trait

a genetically determined characteristic, inherited from parents

gene

a segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait

allele

a variant/different version of a gene

Punnett square

a chart that shows all the possible allele combinations in a genetic cross

pedigree

a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family.

genotype

an organism's genetic makeup; the combination of alleles in an individual - represented by letters

phenotype

an organism's physical appearance; determined by genotype