midterm exam for bio

• Genetic Engineering is the artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of organisms
• Recombinant DNA (rDNA)


  A form of artificial DNA that is created by combining two or more sequences that would not normally occur together through the process of gene splicing
• Trait


  Any characteristic that can be passed from parent to offspring
• Heredity


  Passing of traits from parent to offspring
• Genetics


  The study of heredity
• Alleles


  Two forms of a gene (dominant & recessive)
• Dominant


  The stronger of two genes expressed in the hybrid
• Recessive


  The gene that shows up less often in a cross
• Genotype


  The gene combination for a trait
• Homozygous Genotype


  Gene combination involving two dominant or two recessive genes; also called as pure
• Heterozygous Genotype


  Gene combination of one dominant and one recessive allele; also called as hybrid
• Phenotype


  The physical feature resulting from a genotype
• DNA carries the genetic information in all living organisms
• RNA


  A single stranded type of nucleic acids that is mostly involved in protein synthesis
• Enzyme


  A protein molecule that catalyzes biochemical reaction
• Classical Breeding


  The practice of mating or breeding selected organisms with desirable traits
• Recombinant DNA Technology


  A technology which allows DNA to be produced via artificial means. The procedure has been used to change DNA in living organisms and may have even more practical use in the future
• Gregor Johann Mendel (1882-1844)


  •Father of Genetics •Austrian monk •Studied the inheritance of traits in pea plants •Developed the Laws of Inheritance •Between 1856 and 1863, Mendel cultivated and tested some 28,000 pea plants. •He found that the plants’ offspring retained traits off the parents.
• Monohybrid Cross


  •cross involving a single trait.
• Dihybrid Cross


  cross involving two traits.