The Works of Gregor Mendel 11.1

Genetics

• Scientific study of heredity.

Fertilization• Process in sexual reproduction in which

male and female reproductive cells join to form a new cell.

True-Breeding

• Term used to describe organisms that produce offspring identical to themselves if allowed to self-pollinate.

Trait • Specific characteristic that varies from

one individual to another.

Hybrid • Offspring of crosses between parents

with different traits.

Gene

• Sequence of DNA that codes for a protein and thus determines a trait.

Allele

• One of a number of different forms of a gene.

Segregation

• Separation of alleles during gamete formation.

Gamete

• Specialized cell involved in sexual reproduction.

Key Concept

• What is the principle of dominance?–The principle of dominance states that

some alleles are dominant and others are recessive.

Key Concept• What happens during segregation?–When each F1 plant flowers and

produces gametes, the two alleles segregate from each other so that each gamete carries only a single copy of each gene. Therefore, each F1 plant produces two types of gametes-those with the allele for tallness and those with the allele for shortness.