Basic Concepts in Genetics Quiz

Gregor Mendel laid the foundation for modern genetics through his work with pea plants.

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can produce distinct phenotypic effects.

Genetics is the scientific study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21, leading to intellectual disability and physical abnormalities.

Mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA, which can result in genetic variation and potentially lead to phenotypic changes.

Hemophilia is a sex-linked genetic disorder characterized by the inability of the blood to clot properly.

Phenotype refers to the observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genotype and the environment.

BB represents a homozygous genotype, where both alleles for a gene are the same.

Phenotype refers to the observable traits of an organism resulting from its genetic makeup and environmental influences.

Transcription is the process by which an RNA molecule is synthesized from a DNA template.

Crossing over is the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, leading to genetic variation.

The XX-XY system is the sex determination system in humans where females typically have two X chromosomes (XX) and males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY).

Point mutation is a type of gene mutation, not a chromosomal mutation.

Translation is the process by which the genetic code carried by mRNA is decoded to produce a specific sequence of amino acids during protein synthesis.

The law of independent assortment states that alleles of different genes segregate independently of each other during the formation of gametes.

According to Mendel's law of independent assortment, the phenotypic ratio in a dihybrid cross between two heterozygous individuals is 9:3:3:1.

The ABO blood group system exhibits codominance, where both alleles are fully expressed in the heterozygous genotype.

Epistasis occurs when the expression of one gene affects the expression of another gene, such as in the inheritance of coat color in mice.

Nondisjunction is the failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate properly during cell division, resulting in an abnormal chromosome number in daughter cells.

The parents must have been heterozygous for the trait in question, as they each contributed one dominant and one recessive allele to the offspring.

A polygenic trait is a trait that is influenced by multiple genes, often resulting in a continuous range of phenotypes.