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Genetics Vocabulary
Key terms for heredity, DNA and inheritance.
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- HeredityTermPassing of traits from parents to offspring
- GeneTermA section of DNA that codes for a trait or protein
- DNATermThe molecule that carries genetic instructionsDeoxyribonucleic acid
- RNATermA molecule that helps carry out DNA's instructions
- ChromosomeTermA packaged strand of DNA
- How many chromosomes do humans have in body cells?Term46 (23 pairs)
- AlleleTermA version of a gene
- Dominant alleleTermOne that shows up when present
- Recessive alleleTermOne that shows only when two copies are present
- GenotypeTermThe set of alleles an organism has
- PhenotypeTermThe visible traits of an organism
- HomozygousTermHaving two of the same allele
- HeterozygousTermHaving two different alleles
- Punnett squareTermA grid used to predict the results of a genetic cross
- TraitTermA characteristic passed from parent to child
- MutationTermA change in DNA
- GenomeTermAll the DNA of an organism
- Base pairs in DNATermA with T, and C with G
- Adenine pairs withTermThymine in DNA
- Cytosine pairs withTermGuanine
- In RNA, thymine is replaced byTermUracil
- NucleotideTermA building block of DNA: sugar, phosphate and base
- Double helixTermThe twisted-ladder shape of DNA
- Who described the double helix in 1953?TermJames Watson and Francis Crick, using work by Rosalind Franklin
- Who is the father of genetics?TermGregor Mendel
- What did Mendel study?TermPea plants
- ReplicationTermMaking a copy of DNA
- TranscriptionTermCopying DNA into messenger RNA
- TranslationTermReading mRNA to build a protein
- CodonTermThree bases in mRNA that code for one amino acid
- Amino acidTermA building block of protein
- mRNATermMessenger RNA: carries a gene's message to the ribosome
- tRNATermTransfer RNA: brings amino acids to the ribosome
- Sex chromosomesTermX and Y; they help determine sex
- AutosomeTermA chromosome that is not a sex chromosome
- KaryotypeTermA picture of all of an organism's chromosomes
- GameteTermA sex cell: sperm or egg
- ZygoteTermA fertilized egg cell
- DiploidTermHaving two sets of chromosomes
- HaploidTermHaving one set of chromosomes
- Incomplete dominanceTermA blend of two alleles, like pink from red and white
- CodominanceTermBoth alleles show up fully
- Polygenic traitTermA trait controlled by many genes, like height
- Sex-linked traitTermA trait whose gene is on a sex chromosome
- CarrierTermA person who has one copy of a recessive allele but no symptoms
- PedigreeTermA chart showing how a trait passes through a family
- HybridTermOffspring of two different parent types
- PurebredTermAn organism with identical alleles for a trait
- Selective breedingTermChoosing parents with wanted traits to breed
- Genetic engineeringTermChanging an organism's DNA on purpose
- CloneTermAn organism genetically identical to its parent
- BiotechnologyTermUsing living things to make products or solve problems
- CRISPRTermA tool for editing genes
- PCRTermA method that copies tiny amounts of DNA many times
- Gel electrophoresisTermA method that separates DNA pieces by size
- Human Genome ProjectTermAn effort that mapped human DNA, completed in 2003
- Law of segregationTermAlleles separate when sex cells form
- Law of independent assortmentTermGenes for different traits are passed on separately
- Evolution by natural selectionTermTraits that help survival become more common over time
- AdaptationTermA trait that helps an organism survive
- VariationTermDifferences among individuals of a species
- EpigeneticsTermChanges in how genes are used without changing the DNA code
- LocusTermThe position of a gene on a chromosome
- Down syndromeTermA condition caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21
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