Module 6: Variation Flashcards
Homologous chromosomes:
Pairs of chromosomes of the same size and shape carry genes for the same trait.
Heterozygous:
Individuals who carry different alleles of a specific gene on a pair of homologous chromosomes.
Homozygous:
Individuals who carry two identical alleles of a specific gene on a pair of homologous chromosomes.
Dominant Allele:
An allele that’s phenotype is expressed when both homozygous or heterozygous chromosomes.
Recessive Allele:
An allele that is phenotypically expressed only in the homozygous condition.
Continuous Variation:
Characteristics that can take any value within a range.
Discontinuous Variation:
Characteristics that can only appear in specific discrete values.
Continuous Variation: Causes and Genetic control
It is caused by genetic and environmental variation. Multiple genes (polygenes) code for an allele.
Discontinuous Variation: Causes and Genetic Control.
Mostly genetically caused. Coded for by only one or two genes.
What causes Genetic Variation?
Mutation, but mostly gene shuffling and independent assortment in meiosis.
Causes of continuous variation:
Genetic and environmental
Causes of discontinuous variation:
Mostly genetic.
Definition of Continuous Variation:
A characteristic that can take any value within a range. .
Definition of Discontinuous Variation:
A characteristic that can only appear in specific values.
What are “pure breeding” individuals?
Organisms that are homozygous.
Codominance:
Two different alleles for the same gene are equally dominant, resulting in both genotypes being expressed.
Multiple Alleles:
Some genes have more than 2 versions, however only two versions can be present in an individual, because the organisms only carries one on each homologous chromosome. e.g Blood Types: I0, IA, and IB
Sex Linkage:
Genes that are carried on the sex chromosomes.
Why do females have more genes than males?
Men have a Y chromosome which is very small and-so doesn’t contain all the information of the X chromosome. Therefore the man only has 1 copy of the gene if they’re present on the X chromosome.
Why might the actual ratio of offspring differ from the expected ratio?
the fertilisation of gametes is random and so a small sample can be skewed due to random chance.
If the genes studied are linked genes and no crossing over occurs, the two characteristics are always inherited together.
Autosomal Linkage:
Genes that are linked are found on one of the of the chromosomes in a homologous pair and-so are less likely to be shuffled apart.
Linked genes are inherited as _________ and cannot undergo _________ and-so the ________ ratios will not b e produced.
Linked genes are inherited as one unit and cannot undergo “shuffling” and so the expected ratios will not be produced.
Recombinant Offspring:
Have different combinations of alleles than either parent.
What effects autosomal linkage:
The closer proximity of gene loci reduces the chance of them being separated.
How to calculate the degrees of freedom (Chi^2 test):
n (“Number of categories or possible phenotypes”) -1