We are currently studying Inheritance and Genetics
Relevant Vocabulary:
- gene - carries genetic information
- DNA - a set of instructions for an organism
- trait - a characteristic passed from parent to offspring
- allele- varieties of a gene (ex: brown eye vs. blue eye)
- genotype - the alleles found on a gene (BB, Bb, or bb)
- phenotype - the allele that is expressed in what we see (the brown eye or the blue eye)
- dominant - the allele that is always expressed in the phenotype; expressed by a capital letter (ex: BB or Bb)
- recessive- this allele is only expressed phenotypically when there are two together; expressed by a lower case letter (ex: bb for blue eyes)
- heterozygous - alleles are different (ex: Bb)
- homozygous - alleles are the same (ex: BB or bb)
- incomplete dominance - both alleles are equally dominant therefor, they combine in the phenotype (a red flower "R" and a white flower "W" combine to make a pink flower "RW")
- hybrid - always heterozygous
- purebred - always homozygous