Reproduction and Genetics Vocabulary

organism living thing (plant, animal, people, bacteria)

reproduce to have offspring (children) of the same species

sexual reproduction offspring inherit half of their DNA from each parent

asexual reproduction single organism produces offspring with identical DNA to the parent

pollination transfer of pollen from stamen (male part) to stigma (female part)

binary fission type of asexual reproduction where organism (often bacteria) grows twice its size and splits in two, with DNA in each half

bacteria conjugation bacteria shares DNA directly with a cell, using a plasmid “bridge”

budding asexual reproduction where offspring develops from a bud on the parent organism

spore tiny body that can grow into a new organism; often produced by plants, fungi, and bacteria

fertilization joining of male and female sex cells to form a new individual

development how a living thing changes during its life

cell basic unit of life

organelles parts inside a cell

nucleus cell part that controls cell activities (the boss)

cell membrane cell part that controls what enters and leaves the cell (security guard)

mitosis process of cellular division resulting in two identical “daughter cells”

meiosis process of cellular division resulting in four sex cells with ½ DNA

genetics the study of how traits of an individual re passed on to its offspring

trait a characteristic inherited from a parent or parents Examples: eye color, type of feather

DNA chemical inside all cells with genetic information

gene section of a chromosome that controls a specific inherited trait

chromosome a structure in the cell nucleus that has DNA; each chromosome has many genes

Punnett square a diagram used to calculate possible traits in offspring of the same parents

dominate gene in a pair of genes, the dominate gene determines if a trait is present (B)

recessive gene a gene that is masked if the dominate gene is present (b)

allele each gene that codes for a different trait is called an allele

pedigree a chart that shows the history of traits in a family

genotype specific combination of all an organisms alleles

phenotype traits an organisms exhibits (shows), based on alleles