| Term | Definition |
|---|
| trait | a genetically determined characteristic |
| hybrid | the offspring of a cross between parents that have different traits; a cross between indivisuals of different species, subspecies, or varieties |
| allele | one of the alternative forms of a gene that governs a characteristic, such as hair color |
| dominant | in genetics, describes an allele that is fully expressed whenever allele is present in an indivisual |
| recessive | in genetics, describes an allele that is expressed only when no allele is present in an indivisual |
| genotype | the entire genetic makeup of an organsim; also the the combination of genes for one or more specific traits |
| phenotype | an organism's appearance or other dectable characterisic that results from the organism's genotype and the enviornment |
| homozygous | describes an indivisual that has identical alleles for a trait on both homologous chromasomes |
| heterozygous | describes an indivisual that carries two different alleles of a gene |
| pedigree | a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family |
| punnett square | a graphic used to predict the result of a genetic cross |
| codominance | a condition in which both alleles for a gene are fully expressed |
| probability | the likelyhood that a specific event will occur; expressed in mathematical terms |
| polygenic character | a character that is influenced by more than one gene |
| linked | in genetics, describes two or more genes that tend to be inherited together |
| purine | a nitrogenous base that has a double-ring structure; one of the two general categories of nitrogenous bases found in DNA and RNA; either adenine or guanine |
| pyrimidine | a nitrogenous base that has a single-ring structure; one of the two general categories of nitrogenous bases found in DNA and RNA; thymine, cytosine, or uracil |
| DNA replication | the process of making acopy of DNA |
| DNA helicase | an enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix during DNA replication |
| DNA polymerase | an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule |
| RNA | ribonucleic acid, a natural polymer that is present in all living cells and that plays a role in protein synthesis |
| gene expression | the manifestation of the genetic material of an organism in the form of specific traits |
| transcription | the process of forming a nucleic acid by using another molecule as a template; particularly the process of synthesizing RNA by using one strand of a DNA molecule as a template |
| translation | the portion of protein synthesis that takes place at ribosomes and that uses the codons in mRNA molecules to specify the sequence of amino acids in polypeptide chains |
| codon | in DNA and mRNA, a threenucleotide sequence that encodes anamino acid or signifies a start signal ora stop signal |
| gamete | a haploid reproductive cell that unites with another haploid reproductive cell to form a zygote |
| zygote | the cell that results from the fusion of gametes; a fertilized egg |
| diploid | a cell that contains two haploid sets of chromosomes |
| haploid | describes a cell, nucleus, or organism that has only one set of unpaired chromosomes |
| homologous chromosomes | chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes, that have the same structure, and that pair during meiosis |
| crossing-over | the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis; can result in genetic recombination |
| independent assortment | the random distribution of the pairs of genes on different chromosomes to the gametes |
| life cycle | all of the events in the growth and development of an organism until the organism reaches sexual maturity |
| sperm | the male gamete (sex cell) |
| ovum | a mature egg cell |
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