Table of contents

1. Introduction to Genetics51m
2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
8. DNA Replication1h 10m
9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
10. Transcription1h 0m
11. Translation58m
12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
14. Genetic Control of Development44m
15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
16. Transposable Elements47m
17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- Genetic Cloning
  9m
- Methods for Analyzing DNA
  9m
19. Cancer Genetics29m
- Overview of Cancer
  21m
- Cancer Mutations
  7m
20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
21. Population Genetics50m
- Hardy Weinberg
  19m
- Allelic Frequency Changes
  31m
22. Evolutionary Genetics29m

1. Introduction to Genetics

Fundamentals of Genetics

Genetics

1. Introduction to Genetics

Fundamentals of Genetics

Previous problemNext problem

1:32 minutes

Problem 10l

Textbook Question

Define each of the following terms:
Genotype

Verified step by step guidance

The term 'genotype' refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the set of alleles present at one or more loci on homologous chromosomes.

To understand genotype, it is important to know that alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus.

The genotype can be represented using symbols, such as 'AA', 'Aa', or 'aa', where each letter represents an allele inherited from one parent.

Genotype determines the potential traits an organism can express, but the actual expression of these traits depends on the interaction between the genotype and environmental factors.

For example, in Mendelian genetics, the genotype 'Aa' for a gene might result in a dominant phenotype due to the presence of one dominant allele (A) and one recessive allele (a).

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above

Video duration:

Play a video:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Genotype

The genotype refers to the genetic constitution of an organism, encompassing all the alleles inherited from its parents. It determines the potential traits that an organism can express, although not all genotypes are phenotypically visible. For example, an individual may carry alleles for a trait that are not expressed due to dominance or environmental factors.

Alleles

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which can be identical (homozygous) or different (heterozygous). The combination of these alleles contributes to the organism's genotype and can influence its phenotype.

Phenotype

The phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, determined by both its genotype and environmental influences. While the genotype provides the genetic blueprint, the phenotype reflects how these genes are expressed in the organism's traits, such as height, color, or behavior. Understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotype is crucial in genetics.

Watch next

Master Genetics Basics with a bite sized video explanation from Kylia

Start learning