Lab: Basic Genetic

Traits
Mr. Winchester
Gregor Mendel?
1822 1884
Austrian monk
Monasterys
garden
Curious about
traits
Exp. > 10 yrs
Father Modern
Genetics


St. Thomas Monastery
Pea Plants
Mendel most known for
Characteristics good for
genetics
Genetics: study passing traits
parents offspring
Traits: characteristics, qualities,
features, properties

The Pea Plant
In Garden:
Mendel took seeds from tall
Thought
would
get more
tall
But actually got
BOTH
BUT WHY?
Mendel Used
Pollination:
Transfer pollen between
plants

Cross Pollinations
Between plants w/ different genetic
compositions
Ex: tall & short pea plants

X
Self Pollinations
Between plants w/ same genetic
compositions (more rare)
Ex: tall & tall pea plants
Genes
Section DNA on
chromosome determines
traits

Fertilization
Sperm (haploid) Egg (haploid)
Zygote
(diploid)
Baby
Allele
Genes code for same trait but have
alternative forms
Ex: hair color
Allele 1: blond, Allele 2: brown, Allele 3:
black etc.
Same location on homologous
chromosomes
> 2 alleles may exist but only carry 2
total (1 mom, 1 dad)




Alleles
Purebreds
2 identical
alleles
2 genes code
for same trait
Ex: 2 for tall
pea plant

Homologous
Chromosomes
Hybrids
2 different
alleles
2 genes code
for different
traits
Ex: 1 gene for
tall pea plant, 1
for short
Mendels Basic
Experiments
Experiment #1




PUREBRED
Tall pea plants
PUREBRED
Short pea plants
X
(cross-pollinate)
= ?
P
1
generation (1
st
or parent)
Mendel thought
Medium
Actual:
100% Tall
BUT
WHY?
F
1
generation
Tall pea plants
Experiment #2
F
1
generation
Tall pea plants
X
(self-pollinate)
F
1
generation (1
st
filial or son, the children)
= ?
Mendel
wasnt sure
Actual:
75% Tall & 25% Short
F
2
generation (2
nd
filial or grandchildren)
More Experiments Same Results
Simple Genetics
Dominant gene / allele: always
expressed when present
Recessive gene / allele: not
expressed unless BOTH
alleles are recessive
Most traits are not so simple

Homozygous
Homo-: same
Zygote: initial fertilized cell
Zygote has 2 identical alleles
for trait = purebred
Can combine term w/ recessive
or dominant
Heterozygous
Hetero-: other, different
2 different alleles for trait =
hybrid
Do not combine w/ dominant or
recessive
Can be homozygous for 1 trait
& heterozygous for another