Genetics – definitions of key terms

Write the correct term in the box next to its definition of a term used in genetics.
allele dominant gene genotype
homozygous heterozygous phenotype recessive

Definition Term
Section of DNA that codes for a protein. gene
Different versions of the same gene. allele
The allele that is expressed if present. dominant
The allele that is only expressed if both the
recessive
alleles are the same.
The appearance of a particular
phenotype
characteristic, how it is expressed.
The alleles present on the two
genotype
chromosomes for a particular characteristic.
When the two alleles present are the same. homozygous
When the two alleles present are different. heterozygous

Genetic crosses
1. In guinea pigs, short hair is dominant to long hair.
A heterozygous guinea pig, Hh, was mated with a homozygous guinea pig, hh.

a. What is the phenotype of the heterozygous guinea pig, Hh? ...Short hair...

b. What is the phenotype of the homozygous guinea pig, hh? ......Long hair.....
c. Complete the Punnett square, identify the phenotype in each box.

Short hair
H h

h hH Hh

Long hair

h Hh hh

d. What is the ratio of short- to long-haired guinea pigs? ...3..to...1...

e. What is the probability of having a guinea pig with short hair? ...75...%
2. A farmer crossbred some homozygous red flowers, with some homozygous white flowers.
All the offspring were red.
a. Which colour is dominant – red or white? ............................................................
Use the letters R and r, what is the genotype of the:
homozygous red flowers?...................................
homozygous white flowers? .....................................
red offspring? ..................................
b. Draw a Punnett square identify the phenotype in each box.
c. The farmer then crosses the red-flowered offspring with each other.
He gets 420 seeds.
When he grows the seeds 305 have red flowers and 115 have white flowers.

What is the ratio of red to white?........................................

Draw a Punnett square to explain the results.
3. Humans with a patch of white hair at the front of the head are said to have a ‘white
forelock’.
The condition is dominant in humans.
A woman with a white forelock and a man with no white forelock have a daughter with a
white forelock.
The daughter is expecting a baby; her partner has no white forelock.
What is the probability that the baby will have a white forelock?
Use a Punnett square to explain your answer
probability = ..............................%