From chromosomes to DNA to dominant and recessive alleles, learning the language of genetics is equivalent to learning the subject itself. The following key terms are guaranteed to appear frequently in your study of all things genetic:
Alleles: Alternative forms of a gene
Autosomal chromosome: A nonsex chromosome
Chromosome: A linear or circular strand composed of DNA that contains genes
Diploid: An organism with two copies of each chromosome
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; the molecule that carries genetic information
Dominant: A phenotype or allele that completely masks the presence of the other, recessive allele in the heterozygote
Gene: The fundamental unit of heredity; a specific section of DNA within a chromosome
Genotype: The genetic makeup of an individual; the allele(s) possessed at a given locus
Heterozygote: An individual with two different alleles of a given gene or locus
Homozygote: An individual with two identical alleles of a given gene or locus
Locus: A specific location on a chromosome
Phenotype: The physical characteristics of an individual
Recessive: A phenotype or allele exhibited only when homozygous
