Genetics Flashcards
(34 cards)
Gene
the basic unit of heredity
Chromosomes
where genes are located
Alleles
the alternative forms of multiple genes
Genotype
the genetic makeup of an individual
Phenotype
the physical manifestation of the genetic makeup of an individual
Law of Segregation
- genes exist in alternative forms
- an organism has two alleles for each inherited trait (one from each parent)
- two alleles segregate during meiosis
- the expressed allele is the dominant one and the silent allele is the recessive
- organisms that contain two copies of the same allele are homozygous & organisms that carry two different alleles are heterozygous
- the dominant allele is expressed in the phenotype
Monohybrid Cross
- applies when only one trait is being studied in the particular mating
- parental generation: the individuals being crossed
- filial generation: the progeny generations
Punnett Square
- a way of predicting the genotypes expected from a cross drawing
Test Cross
-a diagnostic tool used to determine the genotype of an organism
Law of Independent Assortment
the inheritance of one such trait is completely independent of one another
Incomplete Dominance
if the phenotype of heterozygate is an intermediate of the phenotypes of the homozygates, blending occurs
Codominance
occurs when multiple alleles exist for a given gene and more than one of them is dominant, there is no blending
Sex Determination
- most chromosomes exist as pairs of homologous called autosomes
- all humans have 22 pairs of autosomes
- women: XX men: XY
- sex linked: genes located on the X or Y chromosomes
Sex Linkage examples
homophilia or color-blindness
Environmental Facts
- can affect the expression of a gene
- interaction between the environment and the genotype produces the phenotype
- temperature also influences the hair color
Cystoplasmic Inheritance
cytoplasmic genes may interact with nuclear genes and are important in determining the characteristics of their organelles
Nondisjunction
the failure of homologous chromosomes to separate properly during meiosis I or the failure of sister chromatids to separate during meisois II
Chromosomal Breakage
may occur spontaneously or be induced by environmental factors
Mutations
- changes in the genetic information coded in the DNA of a cell
- in somatic cells, it can lead to tumors
- in sex cells (gametes), it will be passed down to offspring
Mutagenic agents
- induce mutations (x-rays, UV rays, and radioactivity)
- inhibit spindle formation
- can be carcinogenic
Point Mutation
- a nucleic acid is replaced by another nucleic acid
- stop codons can be lethal
Frame Shift Mutation
nucleic acids are inserted into the genome sequence (lethal)
Phenylketonuna (PKU)
a molecular disease caused by the inability to produce the proper enzyme for the metabolism of phenylalanine
Sickle-cell anemia
a disease in which red blood cells become crescent shaped b/c they contain defective hemoglobin