Chapter 11 Genetics Review

● Genetics - The branch of biology that studies heredity

● Heredity - The passing on of characteristics from parents to offspring
● Trait - a characteristic that is inherited.
● Gregor Mendel
○ worked with garden peas that had clear-cut characteristics so they could be
easily followed
○ inheritance of biological characteristics determined by genes, which are passed
from parent to offspring
○ two or more alleles for a trait, forms of gene may be dominant and others
recessive. (unit factors + dominance)
○ in sexually reproducing organisms, adult has two copies of each gene- 1 from
each parent. the genes are segregated when gametes formed. (law of
segregation)
○ alleles for diff genes segregate independently of 1 another. (law of independent
assortment)
● Phenotype - outward appearance
● genotype - genetic makeup (Tt, Rr)
● Allele - alternate forms of a gene (T and t)
● Test Cross - mate a homozygous recessive (tt) with an unknown genotype for that
characteristic
● The principles of probability can be used to predict the outcomes of genetic crosses.
● Punnet Square - chart used to solve genetic problems
● Rule of Unit Factors - each organism has two alleles that control each trait
● Rule of Dominance - some alleles are dominant and others are recessive
● Law of Segregation - alleles separate at gamete creation (meiosis) and unite at
fertilization. allows shuffling of gene deck.
● Law of Independent Assortment - genes for different traits can segregate independently
during gamete formation. accounts for genetic variations.
● Incomplete dominance - one allele not completely dominant over another. red + white =
pink.
● Co-dominance = both alleles contribute. black + white -> Dalmatian spotted
● multiple alleles = more than two POSSIBLE alleles, but still Unit Factors b/c it’s two
alleles in the end.
● polygenic = traits controlled by two or more genes
● Why dominant traits are more frequent - present when only one copy of the dominant
allele is present, overriding any recessive trait. A recessive trait will only appear if an
organism inherits a copy of the allele from both parents.