Pearson Science Year 10 Chapter 1 Glossary

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Chromosomes

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Thread like structure in the nucleus. Contains genetic information in the form of genes

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Complementary base pairs

Back 2

a pair of bases that can join to make the rungs of the DNA ladder - adenine and thymine, guanine and cytosine.

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Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Back 3

a nucleic acid with deoxyribose sugar and phosphate as the backbone; the molecule that determines the genetic characteristics of most living things.

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Deoxyribose sugar

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one of the parts that make up a nucleotide

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Gene

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a section of DNA that carries the genetic code for a particular characteristic

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Nitrogen-rich base

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part of a nucleotide; the four types (A,T,G,C)

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Nucleotides

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the building blocks of DNA

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Phosphate group

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one of the parts that make up a nucleotide

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Autosomes

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all the chromosomes in a cell other than the sex chromosomes

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Centremere

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the point on a chromosome where the two chromatids are joined together

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Chromatid

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one of the strands of a chromosome following replication

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diploid number

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the number of chromosomes in body cells, two sets or 2N

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haploid number

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the number of chromosomes in gametes; one set or N

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Homologous chromosomes

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chromosomes with genes for particular characteristics at the same location

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meiosis

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the type of cell division that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cells

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mitosis

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the type of division cell that produces two daughter cells identical to the parent cell

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replication

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the process of making copies of DNA

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sex chromosomes

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the chromosomes that determine the sex of an individual; male = XY female = XX

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Alleles

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different forms of the same gene

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dominant

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the characteristic that is expressed in the homozygous condition
capital letter

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genotype

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genetic information carried by an individual

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hetrozygous

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having two different alleles on homologous chromosomes

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homozygous

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having identical alleles on homologous chromosomes

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incomplete dominance

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one allele is not completely dominant over the other

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mutation

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a mistake that happens as DNA is copied, causing a change to the base sequence

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phenotype

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observable characteristics of the individual; the way the genotype is expressed

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pure breeding

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where all individuals have the same genetic information for a characteristic generation after generation

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recessive

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the characteristic that remains hidden in the homozygous condition

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sex-linked genes

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genes present on the sex chromosomes

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Adult stem cells

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cells that can make certain types of body cells

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differentiate

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become different from others

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Embryonic stem cells

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cells found in the embryo that are capable of becoming any other cell type in the body

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gene splicing

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the process used to add a gene or remove a gene from a DNA

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gene therapy

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the process of replacing a defective gene with a normal gene

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genetically modified

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having the genes changed

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genome

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the genetic information carried by a haploid set of chromosomes

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plasmid

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ring of DNA found in bacteria

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pluripotent

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capable of becoming any one of the 220 different cells types in the human body