PRESENTATION OUTLINE
DOMINANT TRAIT
An allele that is always expressed.
RECESSIVE
An allele that is only expressed if there is no different allele present.
HEREDITY
the transfer of genetic information from parent to offspring.
DNA (deoxyribonculeic acid)
contains information that forms the heredity material of all cells.
CHROMOSOME
a single, highly organized and structured piece of DNA.
GENES
the basic physical and functional unit of heredity made up of DNA.
GENOTYPE
the exact genetic information carried by a single individual.
PHENOTYPE
the physical appearance of an organism.
TRAIT
a characteristic of an organism; can be genetic or acquired.
ALLELE
any of several forms of a gene, usually arising through mutation, that are responsible for hereditary variation.
HOMOZYGOUS
having identical pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics.
HETEROZYGOUS
having dissimilar pairs of genes for any hereditary characteristic.
EUKARYOTES
A eukaryote is any organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles enclosed within membranes. Eukaryotes belong to the taxon Eukarya or Eukaryota.
PROKARYOTES
any cellular organism that has no nuclear membrane, no organelles in the cytoplasm except ribosomes, and has its genetic material in the form of single continuous strands forming coils or loops, characteristic of all organisms in the kingdom Monera, as the bacteria and blue-green algae.
PUNNETT SQUARE
The Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict an outcome of a particular cross or breeding experiment. It is named after Reginald C. Punnett, who devised the approach. The diagram is used by biologists to determine the probability of an offspring having a particular genotype.
