Genetics, populations and evolution Flashcards
Why did Mendels experiments succeed when others had failed?
He investigated simple qualitative characteristics
He used an organism whose sexual production could be easily controlled
He repeated his crosses hundreds of times and applied statistical tests
Definition of homozygous
Homologous chromosomes with the same alleles at a locus
What is an allele
A version of a particular gene
Definition of dominant allele
The allele that is expressed in the heterozygous state
Definition of recessive allele
The allele that is only expressed in the heterozygous state
What is a monohybrid cross?
A simple breeding experiment involving just one characteristic
What is Mendel’s first law?
Individuals carry two discrete hereditary alleles controlling each characteristic
What is a gene?
A length of DNA that codes for a protein
What is an autosome?
Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome
What are sex linked characteristics?
observable feature of an organism controlled by the genes on the chromosomes that determine the organism’s sex
What does linked genes mean?
Two or more genes present on the same chromosome
What is codominance?
Neither allele is completely dominant over the other so the heterozygous geneotype has its own phenotype
What is the definition of codominance?
Both alleles are expressed
