Biology Definitions & Key Questions

Chapter 17 - Inheritance

1|Page
1) Inhertiance: The transmission of
genetic information from one
generation to the other
2) Genetics: Branch of Biology that
deals with the study of inheritance
3) Genes: Length of DNA that codes for
a protein
4) Chromosomes: A thread-like
structure carrying genetic information
in the form of genes and it is made of
DNA and protein
5) Alleles: The different version of a
gene
6) Haploid Nucleus: Nucleus containing
a single set of unpaired chromosomes
2|Page
7) Diploid Nucleus: Nucleus containing
two sets of chromosomes

8) Mitosis: Type of nuclear division

giving rise to genetically identical cells

9) Stem cells : Unspecialized cells that

divide by mitosis to produce daughter
cells that can be specialized for a
specific function

3|Page
10) Meosis: Reduction division in which
the chromosome number is halved from
diploid to haploid resulting in
genetically different cells

11) Phenotype: The physical features of

an organism (Due to both its genotype
and environment)

12) Genotype: The genetic makeup of

an organism in terms of the allele
present

13)Homozygous: Having 2 identical

alleles for a particular gene
4|Page
14) Heterozygous: Having 2 different
alleles of a particular gene

15) Dominant: An allele that is

expressed if it’s present (T/G)

16)Recessive: An allele that is expressed

only when there is no dominant allele
of the gene present (t/g)

5|Page
17) Co-Dominance: The existence of
two alleles where neither of alleles is
dominant over the other and they show
a different phenotype

6|Page
 Key questions and points

(1) About genetic code:-

- DNA is a long chain of nucleotides
- Each nucleotide contains one of 4
bases (A,T,C or G)
- Sequences of bases form a code
- This code instructs a cell to mak a
protein
- Group of 3 bases form one amino
acid

7|Page
(2) How protein is made?

1. DNA helix unwinds, Making the

strands separate
2. mRNA molecule is then formed
having complimentary bases to the
section of DNA
3. mRNA molecule carrying the
protein code passes out of nucleus
and attaches itself to ribosomes
4. Ribosomes assembles the amino
acids into protein molecules

8|Page
 (3) About Gene exprerssion:-

All the specialized cells Contain the

same genes in their nuclei , BUT only
the genes needed to code for
specific proteins are SWITCHED ON.
This enables the cell to only make
the protein it needs to fulfill it’s
functions

(4) State the importance of mitosis

 Growth
 Repairing damaged tissues
 Replacement of cells
 Asexual reproduction
9|Page
(5) What is produced by meosis at the
end?
GAMETES

(6) State the differences between

Mitosis and Meosis

Mitosis Meosis
Only Makes 1 Division Makes 2 divisions

10 | P a g e
(7) State the alleles for “multiple alleles”
No change in no. of No. of chromosomes is
chromosomes Halved

Genetically
IA identical Genetically Different
 IB cells Cells
Four Daughter cells are
 I daughter cells are
Two O
formed
formed

(8) State the alleles for the three blood

groups
A --- IAIA , IAIO
B --- IBIB , IBIO
AB - IAIB
O --- IOIO

11 | P a g e