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Genetics Vocabulary
1) trait
specific characteristic that varies from one
individual to the next
(example: height of pea plant)
2) hybrids –
the offspring of crosses between parents
with contrasting traits (example:
coloration in chicken & rooster feathers.
3) gene
– sequence of DNA that codes for a
protein and therefore determines traits in
an organism
4) alleles
– contrasting forms of a gene
-one of a number of different forms of a
gene
example: an allele for TALL (T) plant height
& an allele for SHORT (t) plant height
5) Genetics–
The study of heredity
6) homozygous
– organisms that have two identical
alleles for a trait (example: Two genes for
TALL)
TT
7) heterozygous
– organisms that have two different
alleles for a trait (example: One Short &
one TALL)
Tt
8) probability
the likelihood that a particular event will
occur.
• Example #1 – The probability that a coin
will land heads or tails is 50:50 for each
toss.
Example #2: The probability that a cross
between pure bred (true-breeding) TALL
and pure bred SHORT plants will result in
TALL offspring is 100%.
9) Punnett square
– a diagram used in genetics to determine
probable outcomes of specific crosses, or
gene combination.
Modern Biology Textbook (Holt)
10) genotype
– an organism’s genetic makeup (alleles
present for any traits)
Tt
11) phenotype –
• physical expression of alleles
12) Heredity
– transmission of traits from parents to
offspring
13) self pollination
– fertilization of an egg cell from pollen of
the same plant
14) cross pollination –
fertilization of an egg cell from pollen of a
different plant
15) dominant
– an allele that masks the presence of
another.
16) recessive
– an allele whose presence is masked by
another.