[Introduction to Genetics]
What is Genetics?
Genetics is the branch biology that studies
the ______________ of traits.
Traits
• A ______________________ that makes an
individual ________________.
• Example: Tongue rolling, handedness, hair
type, eye colour, height, skin colour, etc.
Before We Begin…
_____________________: The
location of chromosomes/DNA.
_____________________: Pieces
of DNA found inside the nucleus.
_____________________: A part of
DNA that are responsible for
making a trait (example: eye
colours).
__________________: Different
versions of the gene (example:
blue or brown eyes). Alleles always are paired.
Heredity
• The __________________________ of
traits from parents to offspring.
• The traits that are passed on are said
to have been ___________________
• Your genetic information may have
come from your parents, but your
traits are
______________________________.
Genes
• _______________: A part of DNA that is responsible for a specific trait
(example: flower colour).
• ________________________________________________________.
• A gene can occur in different forms. These are called
__________________.
Alleles
• ____________: A piece of DNA that makes people look or act certain
ways.
• The 2 types of alleles are ________________ alleles or
________________ alleles.
Remember…
• Dominant alleles _____________ recessive alleles from being seen.
• You get one ________ from your mother and one allele from your
_______.
• Remember, for each trait, there is a __________ form and a recessive
form.
• If you have ______ dominant allele and _______ recessive allele, the
dominant masks the effect of the recessive allele
• _________ is in genes and genes are on ____________________
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
The DNA molecule is made up of
individual units each composed of:
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
Each sugar-phosphate-base unit is known as
a ______________________.
Nitrogen Bases
A nucleotide consists of one of four nitrogen bases:
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________
Nitrogen bases form ____________________
Each nitrogen base pairs only with its
________________________ base pair
o _______ pairs with _______
o _______ pairs with _______
“__________________________________________”
The genetic code is made of nitrogen bases. The _____________ of
nitrogen bases tells the cell what to do.
________________________ changes what the cell does for the
organism.
What would the complimentary sequence to the following strand be?
Nitrogen Bases Activity
ACGTACCTA
Using these bases, can you rearrange these letters to make a different
code?
ACGTACCTA
Your Gene Code: ____________________________________
Is your code the same as your partners?
_________________________________
Would your gene code for the same trait as your partners’ gene? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____
Structure of DNA
• The structure of DNA is
described as a
_______________________.
• Sugar + Phosphate molecules
form the ____________________
that ______________________
the genetic code.
Discussion Question
Now that you know some key ideas and vocabulary I would like you to
answer this question again.
Do you look like your mom or dad? Why?
