GENETICS

TRAIT

• a characteristic or property of an organism

DOMINANT TRAIT

• a genetic trait passed from parent to child that is more likely to be expressed

CHROMOSONE

• a tightly wound bundle of DNA and proteins found in the nucleus of most living cells

HEREDITY

• the passing of traits from parent to offspring

GENE

• the basic unit of heredity in a living organism; a segment of DNA or RNA

RECESSIVE TRAIT

• a genetic trait that lacks the ability to manifest itself when a dominant gene is present

ALLELE

• one member of a pair or series of genes on specific chromosomes in specific positions

PUNETT SQUARE

• a chart used to determine the possible genetic outcomes for offspring of a given cross

PHENOTYPE

• the observable traits of an organism passed on from parent to offspring

GENOTYPE

• internal genetic coding passed on from one generation to the next

HOMOZYGOUS

• having identical pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics.

HETEROZYGOUS

• having different pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics

DNA

• found in the nucleus of a cell, a long nucleic acid molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development and functioning of all living organisms; abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid

PROKARYOTE

• individual microscopic organism with no nucleus

EUKARYOTE

• having complex cells in which the genetic material is contained inside a nucleus