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Melanin Storyline
Melanin Storyline Essential Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| albino | A person or animal having a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair and the eyes. |
| genotype | The collection of genes responsible for the various genetic traits of a given organism |
| phenotype | The physical appearance or biochemical characteristic of an organism as a result of the interaction of its genotype and the environment. |
| dominant | Pertains to the one that determines the phenotype of an organism. |
| recessive | A gene that can be masked by a dominant gene |
| heterozygous | Used to describe a cell, a nucleus, or an individual organism that carries different or non-identical alleles for a particular trait at the same loci on homologous chromosomes |
| homozygous | A word that refers to a particular gene that has identical alleles on both homologous chromosomes. |
| purebred | Refers to offspring resulting from a true breeding |
| hybrid | The offspring resulting from combining the qualities of two organisms of different breeds, varieties, species or genera through sexual reproduction |
| carrier | A person or other organism that has inherited a recessive allele for a genetic trait or mutation but usually does not display that trait to show symptoms of the disease. |
| pedigree | An ancestral line or chart depicting the lineage or descent of an individual |
| allele | One of the possible forms of a gene |
| Punnett square | A square diagram that is used to predict the genotypes of a particular cross or breeding experiment. |
| monohybrid | The cross between parents with different alleles for a single gene locus of interest |
| dihybrid | Describes a mating experiment between two organisms that are identically hybrid for two traits |
| poacher | Illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights |
| karyotype | The number, size, and shape of chromosomes in an organism |
| mutation | Occurs when a DNA gene is damaged or changed in such a way as to alter the genetic message carried by that gene. |
| DNA | A double helix, a molecule that contains the instructions an organism needs to develop, live, and reproduce |
| Protein synthesis | A process of creating protein molecules |
| diploid | Refers to a cell or an organism that had two sets of chromosomes |
| haploid | The terms used when a cell had half the usual number of chromosomes |
| chromosome | A structure in all living cells that consists of a single molecule of DNA bonded to various proteins and that carries the genes determining heredity |
| gene | Defined as the fundamental, physical, and functional unit of heredity since a gene is comprised of nucleotides that is phenotype of an organismresponsible for the physical and heritable characteristics or |
| Human chromosome | Diploid-46 organized into 23 pairs- 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex chromosomes |
| Autosomal chromosome | Any chromosome except for the sex chromosome |
| Sex linked trait | A trait that is controlled by a gene or an allele located on the sex chromosome |
| Sex chromosomes | Genes that are carried by either sec chromosomes are said to be sex linked. X or Y |
| Female sex genotype | XX |
| Male sex genotype | XY |
| Gene map | A list of ordered genetic loci for a particular genome |
| loci | A specific, fixed position on a chromosome where a particular gene or genetic marker is located |
| centromere | A specialized structure on the chromosome, appearing during cell division as the constricted central region where the two chromatids are held together and form an X shape |
| transcription | The process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of mRNA. |
| translation | The process by which ribosomes in the cytoplasm or ER synthesize proteins after the process of transcription of DNA to RNA in the cells nucleus. |
| proteins | Polymers of amino acids |
| nucleus | an organelle found in eukaryotic cells that contains DNA and the genetic material of an organism |
| Cell organelle | Any of the specialized structures within a cell that perform a specific function |
| ribosomes | A sphere-shaped structure within the cytoplasm of a cell that is composed of RNA and protein and is the site of protein synthesis. |
| Amino acids | A type of organic acid that contains a carboxyl functional group and an amine functional group as well as a side chain that is specific to the individual amino acid |
| DNA nitrogenous bases | Simply a nitrogen-containing molecule that has the same chemical properties as a base. Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Cytosine © and Thymine (T) |
| RNA nitrogenous bases | A molecule that contains nitrogen and has the chemical properties of a base. Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Uracil (U) and Cytosine © |
| melanin | The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color |
| Silent mutation | A form of point mutation in a codon that codes for the same or different amino acid but without any functional change in the protein product |
| Frameshift mutation | A genetic mutation caused by a number of nucleotides in a DNA sequence that is not divisible by three; insertion or deletion are two types |
| Substitution mutation | A mutation that exchanges one base for another. |
| Insertion mutation | The addition of one or more nucleotide base pairs into a DNA sequence |
| Deletion mutation | A mutation in which a part of a chromosome or a sequence of DNA is left out during a DNA replication |
| codon | A sequence of three DNA or RNA nucleotides that corresponds with a specific amino acid or stop signal during protein synthesis |
| Triplet codon | A specific sequence of three consecutive nucleotides that is part of the genetic code and that specifies a particular amino acid in a protein or starts or stops protein synthesis |
| Protein folding | The process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation |
| Environmental factors | Any factor, abiotic or biotic, that influences living organisms |
| UV radiation | That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between X-rays and visible light between 40 and 400 nanometer wavelengths |
| Vitamin D | A steroid vitamin which promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus |
| homeostasis | The ability to maintain a constant internal environment in response to environmental changes |
| Abiotic factors | Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organism and the functioning of ecosystems |
| Biotic factor | A living thing or any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism |
| Selective pressure | Any phenomena which alters the behavior and fitness of living organisms within a given environment |
| evolution | Change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations |
| altitude | Space extended upward; height; the perpendicular elevation of an object above its foundation, above the ground, or above a given level, or of one object above another; as, the altitude of a mountain, or of a bird above the top of a tree |
| Selective factor | The preferential survival and reproduction or preferential elimination of individuals with certain genotypes, by means of natural or artificial controlling factors |
| adaptation | The adjustment or changes in behavior, physiology, and structure of an organism to become more suited to an environment; the state reaches by the biological population undergoing adjustments or changes |
| folate | A nutrient in the vitamin B complex that the body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy |
| Natural selection | The process in nature by which, according to Darwin, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive & transmit their genetic characters in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while lose less adapted tend to be eliminated |
| population | All the organisms of the same group or species which live in a particular geographical area, and have the capability of interbreeding |
| chromatid | Each of the two threadlike strands into which a chromosome divides longitudinally during cell division |
| Sister chromatid | Refers to the identical copies formed by the DNA replication of a chromosome, with both copies joined together by a common centromere |
| Somatic cell | Any cell of a living organism other than the reproductive cell |
| gamete | The cells used during sexual reproduction to produce a new individual organism or zygote |
Created by:
rleffingwell