Genetics and Chromosomal Biology

A set of vocabulary flashcards designed to help you study key concepts in genetics and chromosomal biology for your upcoming exam.

Chromosome Painting

A technique using DNA sequences attached to fluorescent dyes to visualize specific regions of chromosomes.

Karyotype

The number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.

Aneuploidy

A condition involving the gain or loss of one or more chromosomes, resulting in an abnormal number of chromosomes.

Monosomy

The condition of having only one member of a homologous pair of chromosomes.

Trisomy

The condition of having three copies of a single chromosome.

Nondisjunction

The failure of homologs or sister chromatids to separate properly during meiosis or mitosis.

Barr Body

The inactive X chromosome in a female somatic cell, visible as a condensed structure.

Polyploidy

A condition where a cell has more than two sets of chromosomes.

Euploidy

The condition where a complete set of chromosomes is present.

Chromosome Abberation

Any structural alteration of chromosomes, including deletions, duplications, inversions, and translocations.

Karyotyping Procedure

The process of preparing and examining chromosomes from cells to identify chromosomal abnormalities.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle in which the cell is not dividing and DNA is replicated.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing gametes for sexual reproduction.

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, maintaining the same chromosome number as the parent cell.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics or traits of an organism, which are determined by its genotype.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual at a particular locus, representing the alleles present.

Crossing Over

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis.

Genetic Linkage

The tendency for alleles that are close together on the same chromosome to be inherited together.

Ploidy Level

The number of sets of chromosomes in a cell (e.g., diploid, haploid, triploid).

Translocation

A chromosomal aberration where a segment of one chromosome is transferred to another non-homologous chromosome.

Duplication

A chromosomal alteration where a segment of the chromosome is copied, resulting in extra genetic material.

Deletion

A chromosomal mutation in which a segment of DNA is lost, resulting in a loss of genetic information.

Cell Cycle

The series of phases that a cell goes through during its life, including growth, DNA replication, and division.

Gene Expression

The process by which the information encoded in a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, typically a protein.

Epistasis

The interaction between genes where the effect of one gene is masked or modified by another gene.

Pedigree Analysis

A diagram representing the familial relationships and inheritance patterns of a particular trait across generations.

Alleles

Different versions of a gene that may produce different traits.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to altered gene function and potentially different phenotypes.