Inheritance (Mendallian genetics) Flashcards
What is inheritance?
The passing on of traits from one generation to the next
What is a gamete?
A haploid sex cell
What is fertilisation?
The fusion of two haploid gametes to form a diploid zygote
What are alleles?
Alternate forms of genes
What is the locus?
The position of a gene on a chromosome
Explain the term homozygous
Two alleles that are the same
Explain the term heterozygous
Two alleles that are different
Explain the term recessive
When an allele’s effect is expressed only when in the homozygous condition
Explain the term dominance
Where one allele masks the effect of another allele
Explain the term genotype
The genetic make-up of an individual
Explain the term phenotype
The physical make-up of an individual
State Mendel’s law of segregation
1) Pairs of genes separate during gamete formation
2) The fusion of the gametes at fertilisation pairs the genes once again
State Mendel’s law of independent assortment
When gametes are formed, either of a pair of factors is equally likely to combine with either of another pair of factors
What is meant by the term sex-linkage?
A gene which is located on a sex chromosome
What are linked genes?
Genes present on the same chromosome
