Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
trait.
[A gene is called recessive when its effect can not be seen in the
phenotype of your plant, when only one allele is present. The same
allele must be present twice in the gene pair if you can see its
expression in the phenotype of your plant.]
Locus:
A position on a chromosome at which a particular gene is located.
Chromosome:
A threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein which carries a set
of linked genes and occurs singly in prokaryotes and in characteristic
numbers, usu. paired, in the cell nuclei of higher organisms.
GENE PAIRS
All of life is made up of a pattern of genes. This pattern is
similar to the two sides of the zip on your jacket. One side is from the
mother, the other is from the father. Each "gene locus", a particular
space on that chain, controls one bit of information about the eventual
appearance of the plant.
Each gene locus contains 2 genes, one from the mother, one
from the father. A pair of letters such as BB, Bb, Pp, pp, etc generally
notates these. Capital refers to dominant genes while lower case refers
to recessive. B can Big bud while b can be smaller bud. This is just an
example. The letters refer to a human beings imaginary reference for
what a specific gene locus controls. Any letter can be assigned to it.
