Chapter 3 Flashcards
What is a gene?
An inherited factor (region of DNA) that helps determine a characteristic.
What is an Allele?
One of two or more alternative forms of a gene (like A or a).
What is a locus?
A specific place on a chromosome occupied by an allele/gene.
What is a genotype?
Set of alleles possessed by an individual organism (like AA, Aa, or aa)
What is a heterozygote?
An individual organism possessing two different alleles at a locus (Aa).
What is a homozygote?
An individual organism possessing two of the same alleles at a locus (AA or aa).
What is a phenotype or trait?
The appearance or manifestation of a characteristic.
What is a characteristic/character?
An attribute or feature possessed by an organism.
What is Dominance?
One dominant allele (A) can “hide” the phenotype of a recessive allele (a).
What is a dominant allele?
Mask the effect of the other alleles (capital letter, like A).
What is a recessive allele?
An allele whose effect is masked (small letter, like a).
What is True-breeding?
Both alleles are the same (same as homozygous).
-Homozygous dominant (AA)
-Homozygous recessive (aa)
What is the difference between cross-fertilizing and self-fertilizing?
In cross-fertilization, there are two different organisms. In self-fertilization, it is the same organism.
What is a Filial (F1 and F2)
The generations after the parent generation.
P= parental, first generation
F1= second generation
F2= third generation
What is a testcross?
If you have an organism with a
dominant phenotype, but you don’t know the genotype, you cross it with a known genotype (usually homozygous recessive) to determine the unknown genotype
What is the Wildtype?
The most prevalent allee in a “wild” population (+).
What is the difference between a locus and
an allele?
A locus is a place on a chromosome where genetic information encoding a characteristic is located. An allele is a version of a gene that encodes a specific trait.
What is the difference between
genotype and phenotype?
A genotype is the set of alleles possessed by an individual organism, and a phenotype is the manifestation or appearance of a characteristic.
When did Gregor Mendel publish?
In 1865
What were the keys to Mendel’s success?
- A good model organism
- Small number of traits examined
- Easily differentiated characteristics controlled by a single gene
- His math, counting results, and writing everything down.