Biology Mitosis and Genetics Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to mitosis, meiosis, and genetics.

Gene

The units of information that specify an organism’s inherited traits.

Chromosome

Structures that consist of DNA and proteins (histone) packed together.

Sister chromatids

Joined copies of the original chromosome, formed during the S phase.

Cell division

The process by which a parent cell divides into two daughter cells.

Mitosis

The process of nuclear division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells.

Cytokinesis

The division of the cytoplasm, which occurs simultaneously with telophase.

Interphase

The growing stage of the cell cycle where the cell doubles its contents and prepares for division.

Prophase

The stage of mitosis where chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes, and the spindle begins to form.

Metaphase

The stage of mitosis where chromosomes line up at the metaphase plate.

Anaphase

The stage where sister chromatids are separated and pulled to opposite poles of the cell.

Telophase

The final stage of mitosis where daughter nuclei form and chromosomes de-condense.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that produces four genetically different haploid cells from one diploid parent cell.

Homologous chromosomes

Chromosomes that have the same length, centromere position, and staining pattern.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides that correspond to a specific amino acid.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA under the direction of DNA.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins under the direction of RNA.

Mutation

A change in the genetic information of a cell or virus.

Silent mutation

A substitution mutation that has no effect on the protein product.

Missense mutation

A mutation that results in the substitution of one amino acid for another.

Nonsense mutation

A mutation that converts an amino acid codon into a stop codon.

Frameshift mutation

A mutation caused by insertion or deletion of nucleotides that alters the reading frame.