Genetics & Inheritance

Question 1

Refers to the study of heredity.

Answer 1

Genetics

Question 2

Characteristics passed from parents to their offspring.
The variations present in offspring who inherit traits from their parents.

Answer 2

Heredity

Question 3

Contain DNA to help make cell division and replication easier.

Answer 3

Chromosomes

Question 4

Stretches of DNA that are specific to a particular characteristic.
Sequences of DNA found within chromosomes.
Are responsible for encoding all of the traits living organisms exhibit that can be passed down through genetics.

Answer 4

Genes

Question 5

All of the genes of an organism.

Answer 5

Genome

Question 6

The versions of the gene that code for a specific trait.

Answer 6

Alleles

Question 7

Inherited from each parent and contain DNA.

Answer 7

Chromosomes

Question 8

Stretches of DNA that contain information about specific traits or characteristics.
Such as eye or hair color.

Answer 8

Genes

Question 9

Parts of a gene that code for specific traits and control how the gene is expressed.
Such as blue or brown eye color.

Answer 9

Alleles

Question 10

The father of modern genetics.
His studies involved the hybridization of purebred strains of pea plants.

Answer 10

Gregor Mendel

Question 11

Crossing of 2 genetically different organisms to breed a 3rd plant with a distinct predictable set of traits obtained from its parent organisms.

Answer 11

Hybridization

Question 12

The result of hybridization (crossing of 2 genetically different organisms) to breed a 3rd plant with a distinct, predictable set of traits obtained from its parent organisms.

Answer 12

Hybrid

Question 13

Refers to the making and production of offspring of living organisms.

Answer 13

Breeding

Question 14

Type of breeding.
Refers to organisms in which the offspring have exhibited the same traits over many generations.

Answer 14

True-Breeding

Question 15

Type of breeding.
A specific type of breeding in which different species/varieties are mated with each other to produce a hybrid (which contains features from both parents).

Answer 15

Crossbreeding

Question 16

The act of transferring pollen from the male part of the plant to the female part of the plant.
Fertilizes the plant and enables it to make seeds, which contain the genetic information needed to produce a new plant.

Answer 16

Pollination

Question 17

The true-bred plants that are the parents.

Answer 17

P Generation

Question 18

First generation of hybrid offspring.
This generation often identifies the dominant gene, which is the one (if present) that controls the trait.

Answer 18

F1 Generation

Question 19

If present, controls the trait.

Answer 19

Dominant Gene

Question 20

Generation that starts to show the effects of hybridization. —> Where a mixture of traits will be represented.

Answer 20

F2 Generation

Question 21

Refers to an organism’s set of observable characteristics.
Physical traits.
Results from an organism’s genotype.

Answer 21

Phenotype

Question 22

Genetic composition.

Answer 22

Genotype

Question 23

2 different copies of the same gene that lead to different phenotypes.

Answer 23

Alleles

Question 24

For a given trait, the individual has 2 copies of the same allele.
ex. AA or aa

Answer 24

Homozygous

Question 25

Has both the dominant gene (A) and the recessive gene (a).
ex. Aa

Answer 25

Heterozygous

Question 26

Mendel’s Laws:

Answer 26

Law of Segregation
Law of Independent Assortment
Law of Dominance

Question 27

One of Mendel’s Laws.
Every organism acquires 2 alleles for each trait, with 1 coming from each parent.
Different versions of the same gene are referred to as alleles, living organisms have 2 alleles for each gene.

Answer 27

Law of Segregation

Question 28

These principles dictate how inherited genetic traits interact and are passed down to future generations.
The law of segregation, the law of independent assortment, and the law of dominance.

Answer 28

Mendel’s Laws

Question 29

One of Mendel’s Laws.
The separation of alleles for a given gene occurs independently of any other gene.
Although parents each contribute 1 allele to their offspring, the distribution of alleles to offspring is a random process.

Answer 29

Law of Independent Assortment

Question 30

Genes located on the same chromosome that tend to be inherited together.

Answer 30

Linked Genes

Question 31

One of Mendel’s Laws.
Establishes which genes manifest as traits in the new organism (dominant vs. recessive).
The dominant trait will be expressed whenever present, the recessive react is latent (inactive).

Answer 31

Law of Dominance

Question 32

Gene will always be completely expressed if it’s present in the organism’s genetic code (even if only 1 parent contributed the dominant allele).

Answer 32

Dominant Gene/Trait/Allele

Question 33

Will only be completely expressed if BOTH parent contributed ________ alleles.
To see this trait, both parents must be ________ for that trait and they must both pass on that allele.

Answer 33

Recessive Gene/Trait/Allele

Question 34

Each parent donates 1 copy of an allele for each gene to the offspring.

Answer 34

Segregation

Question 35

Genes are inherited as distinct, independent units.

Answer 35

Independent Assortment

Question 36

When present, dominant alleles will always be expressed, while recessive alleles are only expressed when the recessive allele is homozygous.

Answer 36

Dominance

Question 37

Type of genes located on the same chromosome, meaning the law of independent assortment doesn’t apply.
Inherited together and located on the same chromosome.

Answer 37

Linked Genes

Question 38

Genetic composition as determined by the genes passed down by the parents.
Genes passed down to offspring.

Answer 38

Genotype

Question 39

Physical characteristics that manifest as a result of the genotype.

Answer 39

Phenotype

Question 40

A way to visualize the alleles of a mother and father & how they’ll interact to produce various offspring.

Answer 40

Punnet Squares

Question 41

Exceptions to Mendel’s principles:

Answer 41

Incomplete Dominance
Codominance
Environmental Influences

Question 42

Exception to Mendel’s principles.
One phenotype doesn’t prevail over the other. —> Instead, there’s an intermediate phenotype that’s a mix of both parents’ phenotypes for a given trait.
ex. Andalusian chickens —> black parent + white parent = slate grey (“blue”) offspring.

Answer 42

Incomplete Dominance

Question 43

Exception to Mendel’s principles.
Both the recessive and dominant traits are expressed together in an organism’s phenotype. —> Results in 2 phenotypes being expressed in different parts of an animal (there’s no intermediate phenotype).
ex. black and white spots in Holstein cows. —> Result from an allele for black coloring and an allele for white coloring that are each fully expressed in different parts of the organism.

Answer 43

Codominance

Question 44

Exception to Mendel’s principles.
Refer to how the external world an organism lives/develops in affects it.

Answer 44

Environmental Influences