Pedigrees

Front

What is a pedigree?

Back

A pedigree is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors.

Front

What does it mean if a trait is dominant?

Back

A dominant trait is one that appears in every generation and can mask the presence of a recessive trait.

Front

What does it mean if a trait is recessive?

Back

A recessive trait is one that can be masked by a dominant trait and may skip generations.

Front

What are genotypes?

Back

Genotypes are the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by letters (e.g., Aa, DD).

Front

What are phenotypes?

Back

Phenotypes are the observable characteristics or traits of an organism, influenced by its genotype.

Front

How many alleles does a person carry for a trait?

Back

A person carries 2 alleles for each trait, one inherited from each parent.

Front

What is a carrier in genetics?

Back

A carrier is an individual who has one copy of a recessive allele that does not manifest in their phenotype.

Front

What is the purpose of a pedigree chart?

Back

A pedigree chart is used to track the inheritance of traits over generations and to identify carriers of genetic conditions.

Front

What does it mean for a trait to skip a generation?

Back

When a trait skips a generation, it means that the trait is recessive and may not be expressed in every generation.

Front

What is the significance of the first generation in a pedigree?

Back

The first generation in a pedigree is often used as the starting point to trace the inheritance of traits in subsequent generations.