Mendelian Genetics Flashcards
(14 cards)
Who is Gregor Mendel?
Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who discovered the basic laws of inheritance using pea plants. He is known as the ‘Father of Genetics.’
What is the Law of Segregation?
The Law of Segregation states that each individual has two alleles for each gene, and these alleles separate during gamete formation.
What is the Law of Independent Assortment?
The Law of Independent Assortment states that genes for different traits are inherited independently of each other when they are located on different chromosomes.
What is a Punnett Square?
A Punnett Square is a tool used to predict the possible genotypes of offspring from a cross between two individuals.
What is a dominant allele?
A dominant allele is an allele that expresses its trait even when only one copy is present (e.g., A).
What is a recessive allele?
A recessive allele is an allele that only expresses its trait when two copies are present (e.g., a).
What is a genotype?
A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by allele combinations (e.g., AA, Aa, or aa).
What is a phenotype?
A phenotype is the physical appearance or traits of an organism, such as eye color or height.
What is a monohybrid cross?
A monohybrid cross examines the inheritance of a single trait using a Punnett Square.
What is a dihybrid cross?
A dihybrid cross examines the inheritance of two traits simultaneously and follows the 9:3:3:1 ratio in heterozygous crosses.
What is a homozygous genotype?
A homozygous genotype consists of two identical alleles for a trait (e.g., AA or aa).
What is a heterozygous genotype?
A heterozygous genotype consists of two different alleles for a trait (e.g., Aa).
What is the principle of dominance?
The principle of dominance states that some alleles are dominant and always expressed, while recessive alleles are only expressed if both copies are recessive.
How are Mendel’s laws applied to inheritance patterns?
Mendel’s laws explain inheritance patterns in organisms, helping predict how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
