Dragon Genetics & Punnetts Square

The Dragon Genetics lab showed me in a fun way how characteristics are carried from parent to child effect physical traits.

The Punnetts Square was a really easy way to see how alleles from parents can create four options of offspring. Very interesting, but easy to relate to human life. A Punnetts square allows you to figure out the chances or the probability that an offspring will have a particular genotype/phenotype.

Genotype - Genes of a individual for a particular trait or traits; often designated by letters, for example, BB or Aa

Phenotype - Visible expression of a genotype- for example, brown eyes or attached earlobes

Allele - Alternative form of a gene; alleles occur at the same locus on homologous chromosomes.

Cross - Sets of alleles being considered for inheritance. Gametes of the reproducing individuals must be determined.

Dominant -Allele that exerts its phenotypic effect in the heterozygote; it masks the expression of the recessive allele. Designated with an uppercase letter.

Recessive - Allele that exerts its phenotypic effect only in the homozygote; its expression is masked by a moninant allele. Designated with a lowercase letter