SALCEDO JR, ROMEO B.

STEM 12 -YA18
GENERAL BIOLOGY

1. DEFINE THE TERMS

GENETICS
Genetics is the study of how genes and how traits are passed down from one generation to the
next. Our genes carry information that affects our health, our appearance, and even our
personality
HEREDITY
Heredity refers to the genetic heritage passed down by our biological parents.
MITOSIS
Mitosis is a process where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells (cell division).
MEIOSIS
Meiosis is a process where a single cell divides twice to produce four cells containing half the
original amount of genetic information. These cells are our sex cells – sperm in males, eggs in
females.
ALLELES
One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same
place on a chromosome.
GENES
A gene is a fragment of DNA that accounts for a specific characteristic, such as hair colour, the
ability to digest dairy, or any other information pertaining to the organism’s appearance or
functioning.
DOMINANT
The stronger version of a pair of alleles. Dominant alleles show their effect even if there is only
one copy in the genome, for example, the allele for brown eyes.
RECESSIVE
When the allele of a gene shows its effect only if there are two copies in the genome, for
example, the allele for blue eyes
TRAIT
are characteristics or features that can be passed from one generation to another.
HYBRID
a hybrid is an offspring produced from a cross between parents of different species or
subspecies.
HOMOZYGOUS
An individual who carries two of the same alleles for a certain gene.
HETEROZYGOUS
An individual who carries two different alleles for a particular gene
GENOTYPE
Is the genetic information responsible for a physical trait
PHENOTYPE
Is the description of your actual physical characteristics.

2. MENDELIAN GENETICS
 LAW OF DOMINANCE
This is also called Mendel’s first law of inheritance. According to the law of dominance,
hybrid offspring will only inherit the dominant trait in the phenotype. The alleles that are
suppressed are called the recessive traits while the alleles that determine the trait are
known as the dominant traits.

 LAW OF SEGREGATION

According to the law of segregation, two copies of each hereditary factor segregate during
gamete development so that offspring inherit one element from each parent. Alternatively
put, allele (an alternate version of the gene) pair segregation occurs during gamete
development and random reunification occurs after fertilization. This is often referred to as
the third law of inheritance by Mendel.

 LAW OF INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT

The law of independent assortment also referred to as Mendel's second law of heredity,
asserts that a pair of characteristics segregates independently of another pair during
gamete production. Different qualities have an equal chance to occur together as the
individual hereditary variables assort independently.