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Genetics Unit Vocab
LS.12
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Heredity | the biological process by which traits and characteristics are passed from parents to their offspring, either through sexual or asexual reproduction |
| Trait | a specific, recognizable, and often inheritable characteristic or feature of an organism |
| Genetics | anything relating to genes, heredity, and the variation of inherited characteristics in living organisms |
| Fertilization | the process by which male and female reproductive cells (gametes) fuse together to create a new individual |
| Purebred | an organism whose ancestors are of the same breed, strain, or variety, usually resulting in a homozygous genotype (identical alleles for a trait) |
| Gene | the fundamental, physical, and functional unit of heredity. It is a specific segment of DNA |
| Allele | a variant form of a specific gene, representing different versions of a DNA sequence at a given genomic location |
| Dominant allele | is a specific version of a gene that masks or hides the effect of another allele (the recessive allele) when they are both present in an organism's genotype |
| Recessive allele | a version of a gene that only shows its associated trait (phenotype) when an individual inherits two copies of it—one from each parent |
| Hybrid | an organism produced by breeding two different species, varieties, or populations, combining distinct genetic characteristics |
| Punnett square | a graphical tool used in life science to predict the probability of possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross between two parents |
| Phenotype | the observable physical properties, traits, or characteristics of an organism |
| Genotype | the specific genetic makeup or constitution of an organism, comprising the set of genes and alleles it has inherited from its parents |
| Homozygous | refers to an individual possessing two identical versions (alleles) of a specific gene, one inherited from each biological parent |
| Heterozygous | an individual having two different versions (alleles) of a specific gene |
| Incomplete dominance | a form of inheritance in life science where one allele does not completely mask the other, resulting in a heterozygous offspring with a blended or intermediate phenotype |
| Codominanc | a genetic inheritance pattern where two different alleles (versions of a gene) are both fully expressed in an individual's phenotype. |
| Multiple alleles | a situation in genetics where a single gene has three or more distinct versions (alleles) present within a population, rather than just two (a dominant and a recessive) |
| Polygenic inheritance | the genetic mechanism where a single, measurable trait—such as height, skin color, or weight—is controlled by the combined effect of two or more independent genes (sometimes hundreds) |
| Messenger RNA | a single-stranded molecule that carries genetic instructions from DNA in the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm, where it acts as a template for synthesizing proteins |
| Transfer RNA | a small, specialized RNA molecule in life science that serves as the crucial physical link—or adaptor—between the genetic code stored in messenger RNA (mRNA) and the amino acid sequence of proteins |
| Mutation | an error or alteration in the "genetic code"—the sequence of adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G)—that instructs cells how to function |
| Sex chromosomes | a specialized pair of chromosomes that determine an organism's biological sex |
| Sex-linked gene | a gene located on one of the sex chromosomes (X or Y), meaning its inheritance pattern and expression differ between males and females |
| Carrier | an individual who possesses one copy of a recessive, defective gene for a disorder but does not express the trait or show symptoms. |
| Genetic disorder | a health condition caused in whole or in part by an abnormality or mutation in an individual’s DNA sequence |
| Pedigree | a diagrammatic representation of family history, using standardized symbols to map relationships and track the inheritance of specific traits, genetic conditions, or diseases across generations |
| Karyotype | the complete set of chromosomes within an individual’s cell, arranged and displayed in a standardized format |
| Selective breeding | the intentional process where humans breed plants or animals to produce offspring with specific, desirable traits |
| Inbreeding | the mating of closely related individuals (e.g., siblings, cousins) who share a recent common ancestor |
| Hybridization | the process of producing a hybrid—an organism, cell, or molecule that combines genetic material or components from two different parents, varieties, species, or strains |
| Clone | a cell, cell product, or organism that is genetically identical to the unit or individual from which it was derived |
| Genetic engineering | a set of technologies used in life science to directly alter an organism’s DNA, such as adding, deleting, or editing genes to change its characteristics |
| Gene therapy | treating or curing diseases by modifying, replacing, or inactivating genetic material (DNA or RNA) within a patient’s cells |
| Genome | the complete set of genetic instructions (DNA, or RNA in some viruses) found in a cell or an organism |
| Ethic | the moral principles guiding research, medicine, and biotechnology, ensuring responsible conduct |
| Meiosis | a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing four genetically unique haploid gametes (sex cells, such as sperm and eggs) from a single diploid germ cell |
| Crossing Over | a fundamental genetic process during meiosis (specifically Prophase I) where paired homologous chromosomes exchange segments of DNA |
| Zygote | the initial, single diploid cell formed by the fusion of a male and female gamete (sperm and egg) during fertilization. |
| Gametes | specialized reproductive cells (or sex cells) in organisms that reproduce sexually, responsible for uniting during fertilization to produce new offspring |
| Protein Synthesis | the fundamental biological process by which cells generate new proteins, essential for structure, function, and regulation of body tissues. |
| Autosomal Chromosomes | the numbered, non-sex chromosomes that make up the vast majority of an organism’s genetic material. |
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