Definitions

Question 1

animal genetics

Answer 1

the study of inheritance in animals

understanding how characteristics are passed through generations

Question 2

animal breeding

Answer 2

the application of principles of animal genetics to genetically improve farm animals

Question 3

Mendelian genetics

Answer 3

simple inheritance of genes that express themselves in a defined and predictable manner

Question 4

Population genetics

Answer 4

the study of factors that affect the gene and genotypic frequencies of populations

Question 5

Quantitative genetics

Answer 5

the branch of genetics concerned with influences on measurement of relationships among-, rate of change for-, genetic prediction of- traits that are or can be treated as quantitative

Question 6

Molecular genetics

Answer 6

the study of the chemical nature of genes and how gene functions affect traits of living organisms

Question 7

Genome

Answer 7

the full DNA of an organism

the entire set of an individual’s genes

Question 8

natural selection

Answer 8

independent of deliberate human control

allows animals that are the best adapted to their environment to survive and produce the largest number of offspring

Question 9

seedstock

Answer 9

breeding stock

Question 10

genes

Answer 10

the basic unit of heredity consisting of a DNA sequence at a specific location on specific chromosomes

Question 11

chromosomes

Answer 11

long strands of DNA molecules that are organized into pairs

present in nucleus of every sire (paternal) and dam (maternal)

Question 12

Locus

Answer 12

site of a particular gene

Question 13

alleles

Answer 13

alternative forms of a particular gene found on a particular locus on a particular chromosome

Question 14

genotype

Answer 14

genetic constitution of an individual or cell - its molecular makeup (one-locus)

Question 15

homozygous

Answer 15

both genes at a locus functionally same

Question 16

heterozygous

Answer 16

genes at a locus functionally different

Question 17

meiosis

Answer 17

production of gametes (sex cells)

Question 18

segregation

Answer 18

the separation of paired genes during gamete formation

Question 19

law of segregation

-mendel’s first principle

Answer 19

when gametes are formed, the genes at a given locus separate so that each is incorporated into different gametes

Question 20

independent assortment

-mendel’s 2nd principle

Answer 20

genes assorted independently during meiosis

Question 21

embryo formation

Answer 21

union of the egg and sperm

Question 22

fertilization

Answer 22

• outcome is a chance event
• probability of a particular gene combination occurring in a zygote is directly related to frequency a particular gamete occurs