Genetics

Question 1

What is a gene?

Answer 1

A unit of heredity that is passed from parent to offspring and determines some characteristic of the offspring.

Question 2

True or False: Genes are made up of DNA.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

What is a genotype?

Answer 3

The genetic makeup of an organism.

Question 4

What is a phenotype?

Answer 4

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.

Question 5

What is genetic variation?

Answer 5

Differences in DNA sequences among individuals within a population.

Question 6

What is a dominant allele?

Answer 6

An allele that is expressed in the phenotype even if only one copy is present in the genotype.

Question 7

What is a recessive allele?

Answer 7

An allele that is only expressed in the phenotype if two copies are present in the genotype.

Question 8

What is a homozygous genotype?

Answer 8

When an individual has two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Question 9

What is a heterozygous genotype?

Answer 9

When an individual has two different alleles for a particular gene.

Question 10

What is a Punnett square used for?

Answer 10

To predict the possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring in a genetic cross.

Question 11

What is genetic drift?

Answer 11

A change in the frequency of alleles in a population due to random events.

Question 12

What is a genetic mutation?

Answer 12

A permanent change in the DNA sequence of a gene.

Question 13

What is genetic engineering?

Answer 13

The manipulation of an organism’s genes to achieve a desired trait.

Question 14

What is a transgenic organism?

Answer 14

An organism that has been genetically modified by introducing genes from another species.

Question 15

What is selective breeding?

Answer 15

The process of choosing organisms with desirable traits to breed and pass on those traits to the next generation.

Question 16

What is a genetic marker?

Answer 16

A gene or DNA sequence with a known location on a chromosome that can be used to identify individuals or species.

Question 17

What is a genetic disorder?

Answer 17

A condition caused by abnormalities in an individual’s DNA.

Question 18

What is a pedigree analysis?

Answer 18

The study of an individual’s ancestors and family tree to determine the inheritance of a particular trait.

Question 19

What is the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Answer 19

A principle stating that allele and genotype frequencies in a population will remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of other evolutionary influences.

Question 20

What is epigenetics?

Answer 20

The study of changes in gene expression that are not caused by alterations in the DNA sequence.

Question 21

What is a genetic counselor?

Answer 21

A healthcare professional trained in genetics and counseling who helps individuals understand and make decisions about genetic conditions.

Question 22

What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

Answer 22

The process by which genetic information is transferred from DNA to RNA to protein.

Question 23

What is a gene knockout?

Answer 23

The process of inactivating a gene to study its function.

Question 24

What is a genetic screen?

Answer 24

A method used to identify genes involved in a particular biological process by analyzing the phenotypes of organisms with mutations.