Patterns of Inheritance

Question 1

Early Ideas About Heredity

Answer 1

• People knew that sperm and eggs transmitted information about traits
• Pangenes
• Blending theory
• Problem:
  
  • Would expect variation to disappear
  • Variation in traits persists

Question 2

Gene

Answer 2

A section of DNA that codes for a protein

Question 3

Allele

Answer 3

a variation of a particular gene

Question 4

Locus

Answer 4

-Where you find a particular gene

What chromosome and where on the chromosome

Question 5

Genotype

Answer 5

-The combination of the genes you have for one or more traits
(the type of alleles you have for a gene)

Question 6

Phenotype

Answer 6

-The actual trait that you express

Question 7

Genes

Answer 7

• Units of information about specific traits
• Passed from parents to offspring
• Each as a specific location (locus) on a chromosome

Question 8

Alleles

Answer 8

• Different molecular forms of a gene
• Arise by mutation
• Dominant allele masks a recessive allele that is paired with it

Question 9

Allele Combinations

Answer 9

• Homozygous: having two identical alleles at a locus (ex. AA or aa)
• Heterozygous: having two different alleles at a locus (ex. Aa)

Question 10

Genotype and Phenotype

Answer 10

• Genotype refers to particular genes an individual carries
• Phenotype refers to an individual’s observable traits
• Cannot always determine genotype by observing phenotype

Question 11

Gergor Mendel

Answer 11

• Austrian monk in 19th century
• Studied at the University of Vienna
• Strong background in plant breeding and mathematics
• Using pea plants, found evidence of how parents transmit genes to offspring

Question 12

The Garden Pea Plant

Answer 12

• Self-pollinating
• True breeding (different allels not normally introduced)
• Can be experimentally cross-pollinated (hybridized)