<~~ BACK to PJC ZooTech

Basic Genetics

Animal Breeding

Pensacola Jr College

Basis of Genetics

w    DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid):

    Molecules made of phosphates, sugars, and nitrogen bases which hold all the genetic information in the nucleus of the cell

w    Chromosomes:

    Condensed DNA holding information on many traits

    Species-specific number

Basis of Genetics (cont’d)

w    Nitrogen bases in the DNA of the chromosomes varies, they are what does the coding of genetics

w    When cells divide by mitosis, resulting cells have same genetics

w    Division by meiosis makes variation in sperm/egg cells

DNA structure

3-D DNA

Review of
Mitosis and Meiosis

Genetics - terminology

w     Gene = a part of a chromosome that codes for a trait in an organism

w     Allele = forms of a gene that code for variations of a trait

w     Dominant allele = masks the recessive allele, if present

w     Recessive allele = only expressed if dominant absent

Genetics - terminology

w    Homozygous = two identical alleles on sister chroms

w    Heterozygous = two different alleles on sister chroms

w    Genotype = what alleles are present

w    Phenotype = what trait variation is expressed

Breeding Genetics

w     Take information about male parent to determine possibilities in sperm

w     Take information about female parent to determine possibilities in egg

w     Determine possible genotypes of offspring

w     Figure out phenotypes (traits)

Simple Genetics Problems using
Punnett’s Squares:
Monohybrid and Dihybrid crosses