autosomal dominant
the mode of inheritance in which one autosomal allele causes a phenotype. Such a trait can affect males and females and does not skip generations
autosomal recessive
the mode of inheritance in which two autosomal alleles are required to cause a phenotype. Such a trait can affect males and females and can skip generations
compound heterozygote
an individual with two different recessive alleles in the same gene
consanguinity
blood relatives having children together
dihybrid cross
breeding individuals heterozygous for two traits
heterozygous
having two different alleles of a gene
homozygous
having two identical alleles of a gene
mode of inheritance
the pattern in which a gene variant passes from generation to generation. It may be dominant or recessive, autosomal, or X-y linked
monogenic
a trait caused by mutation in asingle gene
monohybrid cross
a cross of two individuals who are heterozygous for a single gene
mutant
an allele that differs from the most common allele in a population and alters the phenotype
punnett square
a diagram that follows and combines parental gene contributions to offspring
segregation
Mendel’s first law, which states that the alleles of a gene are distributed into separate gametes during meiosis
test cross
breeding an individual of unknown genotype with a homozygous recessive individual to deduce the unknown genotype from observing the traits of the offspring
wild type
the most common phenotype in a population for a particular gene
