Genetics and Punnett Squares (9.19)

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What is a genotype?

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A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the alleles it possesses (e.g., AA, Aa, aa).

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What is a phenotype?

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A phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, determined by its genotype and environment.

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What does homozygous mean?

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Homozygous refers to having two identical alleles for a particular gene (e.g., AA or aa).

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What does heterozygous mean?

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Heterozygous refers to having two different alleles for a particular gene (e.g., Aa).

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What is a dominant allele?

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A dominant allele is an allele that expresses its trait even when only one copy is present in the genotype.

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What is a recessive allele?

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A recessive allele is an allele that only expresses its trait when two copies are present in the genotype.

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How are dominant alleles represented?

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Dominant alleles are represented by capital letters (e.g., A).

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How are recessive alleles represented?

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Recessive alleles are represented by lowercase letters (e.g., a).

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What is a Punnett square?

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A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genotypes of offspring from a genetic cross.

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What is the purpose of a Punnett square?

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The purpose of a Punnett square is to determine the probability of an offspring inheriting particular genotypes based on the parents' genotypes.