Alleles and Inheritance Flashcards

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What is an allele?

An allele is a different version of the same gene.

How are alleles related to genes?

A gene is a section of DNA, and each gene can have different versions called alleles that give slightly different forms of a characteristic.

How many alleles for each gene does a human body cell have, and where do they come from?

A human body cell has two alleles for each gene: one inherited from the mother and one from the father.

How many alleles for each gene does a human gamete (sperm or egg) contain?

A gamete has only one allele for each gene because it has half the usual number of chromosomes.

What is meant by inheritance in biology?

Inheritance is the passing of genes and their alleles from parents to their offspring.

What happens to alleles at fertilisation?

At fertilisation, the alleles in the sperm join with the alleles in the egg, so the fertilised egg has two alleles for each gene.

Where in a cell are alleles found?

Alleles are parts of genes, and genes are sections of DNA found on chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell.

Give one example of a human characteristic mainly controlled by a single gene with different alleles.

One example is human blood group, which is mainly controlled by a single gene with different alleles.

Why do brothers and sisters usually look similar but not identical?

They inherit different combinations of alleles from their parents, so they share some features but also have differences.

What is genetic variation, and how do alleles cause it?

Genetic variation is the difference between individuals in a species, and it is caused by them having different alleles of genes.