Genetics

CHROMOSOMES AND ALLELES

 Purpose

Why are we learning about genetics, specifically

chromosomes and alleles?

 We inherit our traits from our parents through chromosomes.

Vocabulary Words

Genetics
Heredity
Traits
Offspring
Allele
Gene
Inheritance
Chromosome
 Traits

A characteristic that an organism can pass on to its

offspring through its genes.

Examples:
 Hair color
 Eye color
 Dimples
A gene is the basic unit of heredity passed from
parent to offspring.
 Genes are pieces of DNA, and most genes contain the
information for coding for a particular trait.

Humans are estimated to have 40,000-100,000

genes
A Chromosome
 There are many different forms of each gene.
 These different forms are called alleles.

Everyone has a gene for eye color

 Some people have alleles that lead to blue eyes, others brown
or green.
 Allele

An allele is any of several forms of a gene

 Alleles are responsible for hereditary variation.
Alleles come in pairs, one from each parent.
 Together the pair tells your body what trait it has.

Alleles are carried on chromosomes

Chromosomes come in pairs

 One chromosome from the male parent, the other
chromosome from the female parent.
 Chromosomes

The small bodies in the nucleus of a cell that carry

the chemical “instructions” for reproduction of the
cell.

They consist of strands of DNA.

Each species of plant or animal has a characteristic

number of chromosomes.
 Chromosome Theory of Inheritance

Genes are carried from parents to their offspring on

chromosomes
 Definition Matching
Genetics Different forms that a gene may have for
a single trait, responsible for hereditary
Heredity variation.
Children or young of a particular parent.
Trait
The genetic characters transmitted from
parent to offspring.
Offspring
The basic unit of heredity.

Allele The study of how traits are inherited

through the actions of alleles.
Gene Threadlike bodies, consisting of
chromatin, that carry the genes.
Inheritance The passing of traits from parent to
offspring.
Chromosome A characteristic that an organism can
pass on to its offspring through its
genes.
 Genes and Alleles

Gene Hair Color

Brown Hair
Blond Hair
Blue Eyes
Allele
Eye Color
Hand Clasping
Left Thumb on top
Right Thumb on top