Heredity and Genetics

Science

A chromosome that is not a sex chromosome

Autosome

A chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. Autosome. An autosome is any chromosome that isn't involved in determining a person's sex.

An individual with one recessive allele for a trait

Carrier

An individual with one recessive allele for a trait. Carrier. A carrier has a single copy of a recessive gene that does not affect them but can be passed to offspring.

A condition where both alleles are expressed in a phenotype

Codominance

A condition where both alleles are expressed in a phenotype codominance. Codominance is when two different genetic traits are both fully visible in an organism, like blood type AB where both A and B alleles are expressed.

All the genetic material contained in an organism’s DNA

Genome

All the genetic material contained in an organisms DNA. Genome. A genome is like an instruction manual that contains all the information needed to build and maintain an organism.

Neither allele for a trait is dominant, offspring display a blended form of the trait

Incomplete dominance

Neither allele for a trait is dominant, offspring display a blended form of the trait. Incomplete dominance. Incomplete dominance is when the traits from two different alleles combine to create a mixed or intermediate trait in the offspring.

An image of all of a cell’s chromosomes, arranged in pairs

Karyotype

An image of all of a cells chromosomes, arranged in pairs. Karyotype. A karyotype is a picture of all the chromosomes in a cell, which helps scientists study genetic information.

A diagram that shows the locations of genes on a chromosome

Linkage map

A diagram that shows the locations of genes on a chromosome. Linkage map. A linkage map is a chart that illustrates the relative positions of genes on a chromosome based on how frequently they are inherited together.

Three or more alleles of the same gene

Multiple allele

Three or more alleles of the same gene. Multiple allele. In Science, multiple alleles refer to more than two versions of a gene that can exist in a population.

The failure of chromosomes to separate during meiosis

Nondisjunction

The failure of chromosomes to separate during meiosis. Non-disjunction. It is when chromosomes don't separate properly, leading to cells with too many or too few chromosomes.

A chart that shows the genetic traits in several generations of a family

Pedigree

A chart that shows the genetic traits in several generations of a family. Pedigree. In Science, a pedigree is a diagram that traces the inheritance of specific traits through a family's history.

A trait controlled by two or more genes, like skin or eye color

Polygenic trait

A trait controlled by two or more genes, like skin or eye color, is a polygenic trait. A polygenic trait is a characteristic influenced by multiple genes, resulting in a wide range of possible appearances, such as varying skin tones or eye colors.

A chromosome that determines an individuals sex

Sex chromosome

A chromosome that determines an individual's sex sex chromosome. Sex chromosomes are special DNA structures that decide whether a person is male or female.

A gene that is located on a sex chromosome

Sex linked gene

A gene that is located on a sex chromosome. Sex linked gene. A sex-linked gene is a gene present on either the X or Y sex chromosomes, affecting traits that can be inherited differently in males and females.