Mendelian Genetics Flashcards
What did Mendel investigate that other scientists did not?
Qualitative characteristics/traits such as flower colour or seed shape
Not quantitative traits such as intelligence
Why did Mendel choose to investigate flowers?
He could control the organisms sexual reproduction, pollinating the plants himself
What theories did Mendel disprove?
That colours can blend, eg a white flower pollinates and red flower creating a pink one
Characteristics can disappear for a generation and reappear the following one
What did Mendel also discover?
There are 2 forms of alleles, recessive and dominant
And that the phenotype is not necessarily the same as the inherited genotype, eg some red plants are heterozygous and some are homozygous
Definition of dominant allele:
The allele that is expressed in heterozygous state
Describe where an allele can be found: and why do we have 2 alleles?
Alleles are found at the locus on homologous chromosomes, each homologous chromosome (paternal and maternal) has an allele
What is pure breeding?
Breeding with Homozygous organisms
What is a mono hybrid cross?
A simple breeding experiment involving just a single characteristic
What is Mendel first law? (Principle of segregation)
Individuals carry 2 discrete hereditary factors (alleles) controlling each characteristic. The 2 alleles segregate during meiosis, so each gamete carries only 1 of the alleles.
What is a gene?
A section of DNA that codes a particular protein
What are the non sex chromosomes called?
Autosomes
What are the sex chromosomes called?
They are not homologous therefore heterosomes
When are genes said to have an autosomal link?
When located on the same autosome
