Genetics Key Terms

Question 1

heredity

Answer 1

the passing of traits from parents to offspring

Question 2

genetics

Answer 2

the branch of biology that deals with heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics

Question 3

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Answer 3

molecules that carry genetic information in cells

Question 4

gene

Answer 4

segments of DNA molecules that code for particular traits

Question 5

locus

Answer 5

the location of a gene on a chromosome

Question 6

polyploid

Answer 6

having more than two sets of chromosomes (ex. many plants are polyploids)

Question 7

asexual reproduction vs sexual reproduction

Answer 7

asexual: reproduction that requires only one parent and produces genetically identical offspring
sexual: reproduction that generally requires 2 parents and produces genetically distinct offspring

Question 8

diploid vs haploid cells

Answer 8

haploid: contains half the number of chromosomes (gametes)
diploid: contains pairs of chromosomes (somatic)

Question 9

zygote

Answer 9

cell formed by the fusion of two gametes

Question 10

fertilization

Answer 10

joining of male and female sex cells

Question 11

alleles

Answer 11

different forms of the same gene

Question 12

karyotype

Answer 12

a photogrpah of pairs of homologous choromosomes in a cell

Question 13

autosomes

Answer 13

22 of the pairs that are not the sex chromosomes

Question 14

genetic reduction vs recombination (both key outcomes of meiosis)

Answer 14

reduction: produces daughter cells with half the # of chromosomes as the parent cell
recombination: products of meiosis have different combinations of alleles (genetically different offspring)

Question 15

synapsis

Answer 15

aligning of homologous chromosomes (during pro 1 in meta 1)

Question 16

spermatogenesis vs oogenesis

Answer 16

spermatogenesis: process of producing male gametes (sperm) in mammals
oogenesis: process of producing female gametes (eggs) in mammals

Question 17

homologous chromosomes

Answer 17

• similar but not identical
• carry the same genes
• simlar length, centromere location

Question 18

mitosis vs meiosis

Answer 18

mitosis: produces two daughter cells genetically identical to the parent
meiosis: produces gametes with a haploid # of chromosomes. genetic information from both parents