7.1 Inheritance Flashcards
What does homozygous mean?
having identical pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics
What does heterozygous mean?
two different alleles for a hereditary characteristic
What is a phenotype?
visible characteristics.
the expression of an organisms genetic constitution, combined with its interaction with the environment
What is a genotype?
genetic makeup of a person
What is an allele?
different versions of a single gene found at the same locus on a chromosome. A single gene could have many alleles
Who is the father of modern genetics?
Gregor Mendel
What is cystic fibrosis?
a disease that causes thick and sticky mucus to coat the lungs, gut and pancreas. Its caused by recessive alleles FfxFf
What is Huntingdon’s disease?
a disease of the nervous system that causes shaking and eventually dementia. Its caused by a dominant allele Cc x cc
What is sickle cell anaemia?
a disease that alters the shape of red blood cells, thereby reducing their oxygen capacity, causing weakness and anaemia. Its caused by recessive alleles
What are genes and alleles?
- genes control the characteristics of an organism
- often genes have 2 different forms called alleles. For example if a gene controls the colour of a flower, the allele will control the exact colour
- In a pair, one allele may be dominant and another recessive
- Some genetic disorders are caused by recessive genes, others by dominant genes
What is a monohybrid cross?
- how a single character is passed on from one generation to another
- allow the genotype of offspring to be predicted.
What is a dihybrid cross?
where we consider the inheritance of 2 characteristics at the same time
What ratio does a monohybrid cross between 2 heterozygous produce?
3:1
What is independent assortment?
- The law of independent assortment means that genes separate independently of each other when gametes are made.
- it means that every possible combination of alleles for every gene is equally likely to happen. This means genes do not influence each other with regard to the sorting of alleles into gametes.
What is codominance?
- Codominance is where both alleles for the same characteristic are simultaneously expressed in the heterozygote.
- Neither of the alleles are recessive.
- it influences the phenotypic ratios of monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.
What does codominance change the phenotypic ration to?
1:2:1