Language of Genetics

Question 1

genome

Answer 1

entire set of heritable material (usually DNA, sometimes RNA) found in cell or organism)

Question 2

chromosome

Answer 2

an organized structure of DNA containing all or part of the genetic material of an organism

Question 3

chromatin

Answer 3

the substance of a chromosome, containing DNA, RNA, and protein

Question 4

chromatid

Answer 4

one half of a replicated chromosome

Question 5

euchromatin

Answer 5

loosely packed forms of chromatin

Question 6

heterochromatin

Answer 6

tightly packed forms of chromatin

Question 7

chromatid

Answer 7

a replicated chromosome, prior to the recombination and/or cell division

Question 8

sister chromatids

Answer 8

found withing the same replicated chromosomes

Question 9

non-sister chromatids

Answer 9

chromatids on homologous chromosomes

Question 10

DNA

Answer 10

deoxyribonucleic acid, hereditary material

Question 11

ssDNA

Answer 11

single stranded DNA

Question 12

nDNA

Answer 12

nuclear DNA (DNA found in the nucleus), typically contains multiple chromosomes

Question 13

mtDNA

Answer 13

mitochondrial DNA (DNA found in the mitochondria)

Question 14

cpDNA

Answer 14

chloroplast DNA (DNA found in the chloroplast)

Question 15

gene

Answer 15

heritable unit that contributes to a characteristic (often encodes a protein, but can also encode RNAs)

Question 16

Coding DNA

Answer 16

regions of genome that represent protein-coding sequences

Question 17

allele

Answer 17

a version or variant of a particular locus on the genome

Question 18

wild-type (wt) allele

Answer 18

one of many possible alleles of a gene that allow the gene to function “normally”, recognizing that “normal” can be context-specific

Question 19

mutant allele

Answer 19

an allele that results in “abnormal” function of a gene. Can also refer to scenarios where researchers are monitoring changes (mutation) in DNA, whether they are involved in gene function or not

Question 20

null (-) allele

Answer 20

an allele that results in either no gene product being produced or that absence of function of the gene product and the phenotypic level

Question 21

+/+

Answer 21

two wt alleles

Question 22

+/-

Answer 22

1 wt and 1 null allele

Question 23

-/-

Answer 23

2 null alleles

Question 24

locus

Answer 24

a specific position on a genome

Question 25

phenotype

Answer 25

observable characteristics

Question 26

genotype

Answer 26

combination of alleles for a particular individual

Question 27

genome information for a species can be described by an equation…

Answer 27

2N=x

Question 28

N

Answer 28

chromosome number: refers to the number of unique (nuclear) chromosomes in a cell or organism (excludes mtDNA and cpDNA)—> humans have 23 chromosomes so N=23

Question 29

ploidy

Answer 29

the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a call

Question 30

haploid

Answer 30

1N

Question 31

diploid

Answer 31

2N

Question 32

triploid

Answer 32

3N

Question 33

X

Answer 33

total number of chromosomes in a cell

Question 34

homologous chromosomes

Answer 34

chromosomes that share similar structural features and genes inherited from each parental source. Homologous chromosomes can have different alleles

Question 35

karyotype

Answer 35

an individual’s collection of chromosomes

Question 36

homozygous/heterozygous

Answer 36

refers to the state of an individual with identical/non-identical alleles at a particualr locus (ex: +/+ or -/- or +/-)