Genetics- Inheritance Flashcards
What is a gene?
A sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a polypeptide which results in a characteristic
What is an allele?
A different version of a gene
How is an allele represented?
With letters
What is a genotype?
The genetic constitution of an organism
What is a phenotype?
The expression of the genetic constitution and its interaction with the environment
What is a dominant allele?
An allele whose characteristic appears in the phenotype with only one copy
What is a recessive allele?
An allele whose characteristic appears in the phenotype if two copies are present
What is codominance?
Alleles that are both expressed in the phenotype- neither is recessive
What is the locus?
The fixed position of a gene on a chromosome
What is a homozygote?
An organism that carries two copies of the same allele
What is a heterozygote?
An organism that carries two different alleles
What is a carrier?
A person carrying an allele which is not expressed in the phenotype but that can be passed on to offspring
What do gametes contain?
Only one allele for each gene
What does it mean that humans are diploid organisms?
We have two alleles for each gene
How is the genotype of offspring produced?
When gametes from two parents fuse together and the alleles create the genotype
