Important Vocabulary Genetics

Allele

Different forms of the same gene (example: H or h) Allele:

Gene

Genes code for specific traits

Phenotype

Physical characteristic – form of a trait that an organism displays Phenotype:

Genotype

Alleles of the genes an organism contains – THE GENES Genotype

DOMINANT

Only one allele is needed to express the trait DOMINANT

recessive

must have two recessive alleles to express the trait

MENDEL

Austrian monk during the mid-1800s, studied heredity in pea plants Mendel

Homozygous dominant

The organism has two DOMINANT alleles for that trait (Ex: HH) Homozygous Dominant

Homozygous recessive

The organism has two recessive alleles for that trait (Ex: hh) Homozygous Recessive

Heterozygous

The organism has one DOMINANT & one recessive allele (Ex: Hh) Heterozygous