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DNA and Chromosomes
Biology vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cell Cycle | The regular pattern of growth, DNA duplication, and cell division that occurs in eukaryotic cells |
| Mitosis | The division of the cell nucleus and its contents |
| Cytokinesis | is the process that divides the cell cytoplasm |
| Chromosome | One continuous thread of DNA that consists of numerous genes along with regulatory information |
| Histones | A group of proteins |
| Chromatin | The loose combination of DNA and proteins |
| Chromatid | One half of a duplicated chromosome |
| Centromere | A region of the condensed chromosome that looks pinched |
| Telomeres | Made of repeating nucleotides that do not form genes |
| Prophase | Chromatin condenses into tighly coiled chromosomes |
| Metaphasae | The spindle fibers attach to a protein structure on the centromere of each chromosome |
| Somatic Cell | Body cells |
| Gamete | Sex cells |
| Homologous chromosomes | Two chromosomes |
| autosomes | Chromosomes that contain genes |
| sex chromosomes | That directly control the development of sexual characteristics |
| Sexual Reproduction | Involves the fusion of two gametes that results in offspring that are a genetic mixture of both pairs |
| Fertilization | The actual fusion of an egg and a sperm |
| Diploid | A cell has two copies of a chromosome |
| Haploid | A cell has one copy of a chromosome |
| Meiosis | A form of nuclear division that divides a diploid cell into haploid cells |
| Gametogenesis | The production of gametes |
| Sperm | The male gamete |
| Egg | The female gamete |
| Polar Bodies | Cells with little more than DNA that are eventually broken down |
| Bacteriophage | Takes over a bacterium`s genetic machinery and directs it to make more viruses |
| Nucleotide | Small units that make up DNA |
| Double Helix | Model in which two strands of DNA wind around each other like a twisted ladder |
| Base pair rules | T always pairs with A and C always pairs with G |
| Replication | The process by which DNA is copied during the cell cycle |
| DNA polymerases | Bond the new nucleotides together |