Mendelian Genetics Flashcards
bioremediation
the use of microorganisms to break down pollutants or waste such as contaminated groundwater, industrial wastes or oil spills
chromosomes
a threadlike linear strand (eukaryotic cells) or circular strand (bacteria) of DNA that contains hereditary information
cross-pollination
the transfer of pollen from one plant to another in support of reproduction
dihybrid crosses
the exploration of inheritance patterns across two traits
linked genes
genes that are usually passed on together because they are close to one another on the same chromosome
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
carries a cell’s genetic information; capable of self-replication and RNA synthesis; characterized as two long nucleotide chains that are twisted into a double helix
Mendel, Gregor
(1822—1884) monk with a scientific mind and known as the Father of Genetics; his experiments with garden pea plants contributed to the basis of modern genetics
plasmid
a small ring of DNA that carries accessory genes separate from those of a bacterial chromosome; especially found in bacteria
polymerase
an enzyme that occurs naturally capable of catalyzing the formation and repair of DNA or RNA
Punnett square
developed by Reginald Punnett this is a numeric representation of the pairing of genes to observe or predict the possible traits of offspring
restriction enzyme
an endonuclease that will recognize a specific target nucleotide sequence in DNA and break the DNA chain at the target; a variety of these enzymes are known, and they are extensively used in genetic engineering
Sutton, Walter
(1877—1916) American biologist who contributed to modern-day biology by applying Mendelian genetics to chromosomes at the cellular level
traits
an inherited characteristic passed from parent to offspring across multiple generations
