Chapter 1 - Genetics Flashcards
Chromosomes
Thread-like structures in the nucleus. Composed of DNA and proteins; contains the genetic information in the form of genes
Complementary Base Pairs
A pair of bases that can join to make the rings of the DNA ladder— adenine and thymine, guanine and cytosine
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
A nucleus acid with deoxyribose sugar and phosphate as the backbone; the molecule that determines the genetic characteristics of most living things
Deoxyribose Sugar
One of the parts that make up a nucleotide
Gene
A section of DNA that carries the genetic code for a particular characteristic
Nitrogen-rich Base
Part of a nucleotide; the four types are Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T)
Nucleotides
The building blocks of DNA
Phosphate Group
One of the parts that make up a nucleotide
Autosomes
All the chromosomes in a cell other than the sex chromosomes
Centromere
The point on a chromosome where the two chromatids are joined together
Chromatid
One of the strands of a chromosome following replication
Diploid Number
The number of chromosomes in body cells; two sets or 2N
Haploid Number
The number of chromosomes in gametes; one set or N
Homologous Chromosomes
Chromosomes with genes for particular characteristics at the same location
Meiosis
The type of cell division that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell
Mitosis
The type of cell division that produces two daughter cells identical to the parent cell
Replication
The process of making copies of DNA
Sex Chromosomes
The chromosomes that determine the sex of an individual; in humans they are the X and Y chromosomes
Alleles
Different forms of the same gene
Dominant
The characteristic that is expressed in the homozygous condition
Genotype
Genetic information carried by an individual
Heterozygous
Having two different alleles on homologous chromosomes
Homozygous
Having two identical alleles on homologous chromosomes
Incomplete Dominance
Where the appearance of a heterozygous individual results from a ‘blending’ of the two alleles because one allele is not completely dominant over the other
Mutation
A mistake that happens as DNA is copied, causing a change to the bad sequence
Phenotype
Observable characteristics of the individual; the way the genotype is expressed
Pure Breeding
Where all individuals have the same genetic information for a characteristic generation after generation
Recessive
The characteristic that remains hidden in the homozygous condition
Sex-linked Genes
Genes present on the sex Chromosomes
Adult Stem Cells
Cells that can make certain types of body cells
Differentiate
Become different from others
Embryonic Stem Cells
Cells found in the embryo that are capable of becoming any cell type found in the body of a complex organism
Gene Splicing
The process used to add a gene into or remove genes from DNA
Gene Therapy
The process of replacing a defective gene with a normal gene
Genetically Modified
Having the genes changed
Genome
The genetic information carried by a haploid set of chromosomes
Human Genome Project
An international project that aims to identify all the human genes and determine the sequence of the base pairs that make up human chromosomes
Induced Pluripotent Skin Cells (iPSCs)
Mature cells that have been induced to revert to their pluripotent (capable of becoming any type of human cell) state
Plasmid
Ring of DNA found in bacteria
Pluripotent
Capable of becoming any one of the 220 different cell types found in the human body
Recombinant DNA Technology
Technology that allows DNA to be recombined with other genes
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)
Differences of only one base between one human and another
