This refers to Mendel's basic theory of inheritance, which states that hereditary material behaves in a particulate rather than fluid nature. More specifically, this theory proposes that discrete hereditary units (particles) are transmitted from one generation to the next, without being altered by mixing with units from another individual in forming offspring.
This refers to a unit of inheritance composed of a segment of DNA and carrying coded information associated with a specific function. More specifically, genes may be defined as units of inheritance recognized by their influence upon phenotype. Their location at specific sites on specific chromosomes are determined by frequencies of recombination with other genes. A gene is known as a segment of DNA that encodes the amino acid sequence of a protein, or the base sequence of an RNA molecule. A Mendelian gene cannot be discovered unless it exists in two allelic forms.
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Sex cells carry only one copy of each chromosome and of each gene. Zygotes carry two copies of each. The two copies of each gene are called alleles, which may be identical (AA and aa) or different (Aa). Alleles occupy analogous positions (loci) on homologous chromosomes.
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Refers to the state of carrying identical alleles at one or more gene loci (e.g. AABB or aabb).
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Refers to the state of carrying different alleles at one or more gene loci (e.g. AaBb).
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Any feature or characteristic of an organism or any group of characteristics (e.g. metabolism, physiology, or morphology). The word phenotype may refer to all of the characteristics of an organism or to one phenotypic trait. Also, phenotype refers to any of the detectable attributes of a living thing. The phenotype is the result of the interaction of the gene and environmental components.
The sum of genes within a cell or within the cells of an organism. Usually, the word genotype is used to describe only the one or the few genes being studied at a time. For example, the gene associated with eye color would have the genotypes BB and Bb, which lead to brown eyes, or the genotype bb, which leads to blue eyes.