Genetics

Terminology
The unit of inheritance
Gene:
Chromosome
Genes
Chromosome:
A bundle of DNA
containing many
genes
B
A
C
Different versions of
the same gene
Alleles:
B b
B b
DNA
gene
chromosome
Different versions of the
same song (remixes) are
like
alleles
Tape:
-it is used to
record
information
- it is like
One song or
track on the
tape is like a
A cassette is a
large bundle of
tape containing
many tracks.
It is like a
Physical appearance
Phenotype:
Brown eyes
Blue eyes
Red flowers
White flowers
The combination of alleles
which you carry for a
particular gene
Genotype:
B B b B b b
Genotype: BB Genotype: Bb Genotype: bb
An allele which is
always expressed
when it is present
Dominant allele:
it cannot be
masked by another
allele.
B b
An allele which can be
masked by another
allele
Recessive allele:
it is only expressed
when two copies are
present.
b b
homozygous
heterozygous
If an individual has
two copies of same
allele of a gene on a
pair of chromosomes
the individual is
If an individual has
two different alleles
of a gene on a pair
of chromosomes the
individual is
b B
B B b b
The prefix homo-
means
same
The prefix hetero-
means
other
A cell which contains
two copies of each
chromosome is
diploid
Normal body cells
are diploid
A cell which contains
one copy of each
chromosome is
haploid
Gametes (sex cells) are
haploid
Sperm
Ovum
Pollen
Plant egg
cell
Sperm cells are produced by meiosis
The
chromosomes in
the nucleus are
copied
Four haploid
daughter cells
are produced
Each haploid
daughter cell
contains only one
of the two alleles
from the diploid
parent cell
Diploid parent
cell
Ova are also produced by
meiosis
Haploid
Diploid
parent cell
Fertilization:
An ova and a sperm fuse to form a diploid zygote
Ova
Sperm
Zygote
The zygote contains one
allele from each parent
This process is random
Inheritance of eye color
b
b
Genotype is: bb
Phenotype is:
Blue
B
B
Genotype is: BB
Phenotype is:
Brown
B
b
Genotype is: Bb
Phenotype is:
Brown
B
b
Genotype is: Bb
Phenotype is:
Brown