Chapter 7 vocab

Question 1

allele

Answer 1

an alternate form of a gene

Question 2

chromosome

Answer 2

a cell structure that contains genetic information along strands of DNA

Question 3

DNA fingerprint

Answer 3

pattern of DNA fragments obtained by examining a person’s unique sequence of DNA base pairs

Question 4

electrophoresis

Answer 4

a method of separating molecules according to their size and electrical charge

Question 5

exon

Answer 5

a segment of DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a protein or peptide sequence

Question 6

gene

Answer 6

segment of DNA in a chromosome that contains information used to produce a protein or an RNA molecule

Question 7

genome

Answer 7

the genetic material of an organism

Question 8

intron

Answer 8

a segment of a DNA or RNA molecule that does not code for proteins and interrupts the sequence of genes

Question 9

karyotype

Answer 9

the chromosome of a cell

Question 10

PCR

Answer 10

a method used to rapidly create multiple copies of a specific segment of DNA

Question 11

polymorphism

Answer 11

difference in DNA sequence among individuals

Question 12

primer

Answer 12

short preexisting polynucleotide chain to which new deoxyribonucleotides can be added

Question 13

restriction enzyme

Answer 13

a molecule that cuts a DNA molecule at a specific base sequence restriction fragment

Question 14

STR

Answer 14

tandem repeats of short DNA sequences (2 to 5 base pairs)

Question 15

VNTR

Answer 15

tandem repeats of short DNA sequences (9 to 80 base pairs)