[Introduction to Genetics]

What is Genetics?
Genetics is the branch biology that studies the
inheritance of traits.

Traits
• A characteristic that makes an individual unique

• Example: Tongue rolling, handedness, hair type,

eye colour, height, skin colour, etc.

Before We Begin…
Nucleus:
The location of chromosomes/DNA.

Chromosomes: Pieces of DNA found

inside the nucleus.

Genes: A part of DNA that are

responsible for making a trait
(example: eye colours)

Allele: Different versions of the

gene (example: blue or brown
eyes). Alleles always are paired.
Heredity
• The passing on of traits from parents to
offspring.

• The traits that are passed on are said to

have been inherited

• Your genetic information may have

come from your parents, but your traits
are uniquely your own.

Genes
• Genes: A part of DNA that is responsible for a specific trait (example: flower
colour)

• The basic unit of heredity

• A gene can occur in different forms. These are called alleles.

Alleles
• Alleles: A piece of DNA that makes people look or act certain ways.

• The 2 types of alleles are dominant alleles or recessive alleles.

• Dominant alleles stop recessive alleles from being seen.

Remember…

 You get one allele from your mother and one allele from your father.
 Remember, for each trait, there is a dominant form and a recessive form.
 If you have one dominant allele and one recessive allele, the do minant
masks the effect of the recessive allele

 DNA is in genes, genes are on chromosomes.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

 The DNA molecule is made up of

individual units each composed of:

1. A sugar

2. A phosphate

3. A nitrogen base

Each sugar-phosphate-base unit is known as a

nucleotide
Nitrogen Bases
 A nucleotide consists of one of four nitrogen bases:

1. Adenine (A)

2. Guanine (G)

3. Cytosine (C)

4. Thymine (T)

 Nitrogen bases form base pairs

 Each nitrogen base pairs only with its

complementary base pair

o A pairs with T

o G pairs with C

“Air in Tires, Gas in Cars”

 The genetic code is made of nitrogen bases. The

order of nitrogen bases tells the cell what to do.

 Changing order changes what the cell does for the organism.

Nitrogen Bases Activity

What would the complimentary sequence to the following strand be?

 ACGTACCTA

Using these bases, can you make a different code?

ACGTACCTA

Your Code: ____________________________________

Is your code the same as your partners? _________________________________

Are the genes the same? ______________________________________________

How does this affect the trait?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Structure of DNA
• The structure of DNA is described as
a double helix.
• Sugar + Phosphate molecules form the backbone that protects the genetic
code.

Discussion Question
Now that you know some key ideas and vocabulary I would like you to answer
this question again.
Do you look like your mom or dad? Why?

**Post your answer on Schoology**

Homework for tonight