Monohybrid Inheritance Essay

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Monohybrid inheritance Inheritance in general is the passing of characteristics from parents to offspring, while monohybrid inheritance is the inheritance for a single characteristic/gene. A gene is a length of DNA that occupies a specific position on a chromosome which is called a locus. A particular gene may have more than one form that is slightly different from the others. These different forms of genes are called alleles. Alleles therefore are various molecular forms of a gene for the same trait. Since chromosomes in animals and plants are found as matching pairs in the nucleus of each cell, there will always be two genes for a characteristic in a cell. Human DNA is arrange in the form of chromosomes and huham body cell contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, making 46 chromosomes in all. A gamete contains one set of 23 chromosomes. This means that every individual receives one set of chromosomes from their mother, and one from their father. If a organism has two identical alleles of a gene, they are said to be homozygous for that gene(that characteristic). If, however, the alleles are different, they are said to be heterozygous. An allele is said to be dominant if it is always expressed in the phenotype - outward appearance and characteristics of the organism. In a heterozygous organism the appearance of the organism (phenotype) may be determined by one allele and not the other. The allele that determines the phenotype is said to be dominantly expressed. The expression of the other allele is described as being recessive. The genotype tells you the alleles they carry as it is the sum of the genes (letters). Phenotype is how the genes are expressed (words,

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