DNA and genetics

• gene


  A segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait
• chromosome definition


  Made of DNA wrapped up and humans have 46 chromosomes
• autosomes


  Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome
• DNA


  deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
• allele


  An alternative form of a gene.
• punnett square


  A chart that shows all the possible combinations of alleles that can result from a genetic cross
• mitosis


  the cell division cycle; cells grow and divide, when that division occurs two new daugher cells are produced.

  growth and repair
• interphase


  cell content excluding DNA/chromosomes are duplicated, with DNA replication to follow.
• prophase


  Double stranded chromosomes become visibile, each chromosome comprises of two chromatids joined at the centromere.

  spindle fibres form at opposite ends
• metaphase


  Double stranded chromosomes line up along equator of cell and attach to spindle fibres.
• anaphase


  The chromatids separate to become to independent chromosomes and move to opp ends of the cell.
• telophase


  Two new nuclei form with a diploid number of chromosomes
• Cytokinesis


  Cytoplasm dividing/cell pinching

  forms two identical cells.
• dna replication


  DNA unzips into two parts and splits with the cell. In it's new home each side of the DNA strand attack to matching nucleotides to create 2 exact copies. It is important in puberty and other times of growth as it is the reproducing of your cells.
• mitosis function


  growth and repair
• nucleotide


  A building block of DNA, consisting of a five-carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
• double helix


  two strands of nucleotides wound about each other; structure of DNA
• karyotype


  A display of the chromosome pairs of a cell arranged by size and shape.
• sex chromosomes


  One of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human, contains genes that will determine the sex of the individual.
• homozygous recessive


  Both alleles (factors) for a trait are the same and recessive (aa)
• homozygous dominant


  Both alleles (factors) for a trait are the same and dominant (AA)
• heterozygous


  An organism that has two different alleles for a trait
• phenotype


  the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
• genotype


  An organism's genetic makeup, or allele combinations.
• Nucleotide


  Basic unit of DNA, consisting of a sugar, phosphate, and base
• Complementary Base Pairs


  Pairs of bases in DNA: A-T and C-G
• Chromosome Parts


  Structural components of a chromosome: centromere, telomeres, chromatids
• Sex Chromosome


  Chromosome determining an organism's sex (X and Y in humans)
• Homologous Chromosomes


  Chromosome pairs with genes for the same traits at the same loci
• Allele


  Variant form of a gene
• Genotype


  Genetic makeup of an organism
• Heterozygous


  Having different alleles for a gene
• Homozygous


  Having identical alleles for a gene
• DNA Replication


  Process of copying DNA to produce two identical DNA molecules
• Semi-conservative Replication


  DNA replication where each new DNA molecule contains one original and one new strand
• Mutation Analysis


  Process of identifying normal or abnormal karyotypes and types of mutations
• Transcription


  Process of creating mRNA from DNA
• Translation


  Process of synthesizing a protein from mRNA
• Mitosis Purpose


  Cell division for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction
• Monohybrid Punnett Square


  Tool to predict offspring genotypes from parental alleles