Inheritance Flashcards
Inherited
A trait or gene passed onto a child from a parent.
Genetic trait
A trait of an individual that can be determined by genes, environment or both.
Simple inheritance
The inheritance of traits controlled by a single gene with two alleles.
Chromosome
A threadlike structure of acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells.
DNA
DNA is an organic, complex structure found in calls. It codes the genetic information for inherited traits.
Mendel
Through his careful breeding of garden peas, Gregor Mendel discovered the basic principles of hereditary traits.
Ovum (Egg)
Ovum is a single cell released from either of the female reproductive organs, the ovaries, which is capable of developing into a new organism when fertilized with a sperm cell.
Sperm
Sperm are male reproductive cells that fertilise eggs in sexual reproduction.
Fertilisation
The action or process of fertilizing an egg of a female animal or plant, involving the fusion of male and female.
X Chromosome
The X Chromosome is a part of the XY sex-determination system and XO sex-determination system. Females have two X chromosomes in their cells
Y Chromosome
The Y Chromosome is typically associated with male individuals, as the presence of the Y chromosome determines male sex in the XY sex-determination system.
Variation
When a population has slight differences which help the changes of them surviving.
Gene
The gene is considered the basic unit of inheritance. Genes are passed from parents to offspring and contain the information needed to specify physical and biological traits.
Allele
An allele is one of two or more versions of a gene that are located at the same position on a chromosome. Alleles can differ in their sequence of DNA, and thus can lead to different traits, such as eye color or blood type.
Homozygous
Homozygous refers to having inherited the same DNA sequence for a specific gene from both biological parents. It means having two identical alleles of a gene.
Heterozygous
A heterozygous individual is a diploid organism with two alleles, each of a different type.
Dominant
Dominant refers to the relationship between two versions of a gene. If the alleles of a gene are different, one allele will be expressed; it is the dominant gene.
Recessive
A recessive gene is a gene whose effects are masked in the presence of a dominant gene but can still be passed onto their offspring.
Genotype
The genetic constitution of an individual organism.
Phenotype
The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
Punnett Square
A Punnett Square is a grid-like diagram used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a particular genetic cross.
