Transmission of genetic information from generation to generation

Passed on by the sex cells (sperm and egg cell) during fertilisation

In the form of chromosomes which are made of DNA

Found in nucleus of cells, making up genes which determine all our features & cell activity Thread of DNA, made up of a string of genes Length of DNA that is the specific unit of heredity Any two or more alternative forms of a gene The 23rd pair of chromosomes, called X & Y Contains two sets of chromosomes Contains a single set of unpaired chromosomes Two types of cell division, meiosis and mitosis
Reduction division in which the chromosome number is halved from diploid to haploid

Determines what proteins & enzymes cells make DNA essential for life Human body cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes Each one codes for a specific protein Controls a particular characteristic, e.g. eye colour Females have 2 X chromosomes(X, X) & males have one X and one Y (X, Y) All body cells except gametes are diploid Only gametes have haploid nucleus
All body cells, except the formation of gametes, divide by mitosis Chromosomes are copied & cell divides twice, forming 4 gametes Chromosome number maintained by the exact duplication of chromosomes Growth, repair of damaged tissues & replacement of worn out cells

Can copy itself which enables genes to be inherited

One of each pair inherited from each parent May be copied and passed on to the next generation Can be dominant or recessive Control gender, whether if offspring is male or female Made by mitosis (2n=46) Made by meiosis (n=23) Gametes formed by a cell division called meiosis Takes place in sex organs Chromosomes are copied & cell divides once, forming 2 nuclei Asexual reproduction (not in humans) All gametes produced are non- identical Represented by symbols only, e.g. BB, Bb, bb E.g. a person can have brown eyes / blue eyes First letter of dominant characteristic, e.g. tongue rolling, T

Nuclear division giving rise to genetically identical cells c Produce genetically identical daughter cells To produce gametes (which have haploid nucleus) The genetic makeup of an organism in terms of the alleles
present

To generate genetic variation Tell us which forms of the gene are present in an organism Any characteristic can have several phenotypes Symbol is a capital letter, e.g. T or G

The physical or other features of an organism due to both its environment and genotype An allele that is expressed if present
Only expressed if there is no dominant allele of the gene present

Having two identical alleles of a particular gene, e.g. BB or bb Having two different alleles of a particular gene, e.g. Bb or Tt Occurs when both parents are heterozygous, e.g. Tt x Tt Occurs when one parent is homozygous recessive, e.g. tt & the other is heterozygous, e.g. Tt

Same letter of alphabet as dominant allele, e.g. t Symbol is a lower case letter, e.g. t or g Two identical homozygous individuals that breed together will be Homozygous = homozygote pure breeding

Not pure breeding

Heterozygous = heterozygote

Three of the offspring have dominant allele & 1 one has not Two of the offspring have dominant allele & 2have not

3:1 is the phenotype ratio, 3 tall : 1 short 1:1 is the phenotype ratio, 1 tall : 1 short