| A | B |
|---|
| anaphase | a phase of mitosis and meiosis in which the chromosomes separate |
| asexual reproduction | reproduction that does not involve the union of gametes and which a single parent produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent |
| autosome | any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome |
| binary fission | a form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms by which one cell divides into two cells of the same size |
| biotechnology | any procedure or methodology that uses biological systems or living organisms to develop or modify either products or processes for specific use |
| cell plate | the precursor of a new plant cell wall that forms during cell division and divides a cell into two |
| centromere | the region of the chromosome that holds the two sister chromatids together during cell division |
| chromatid | one of the two strands of a chromosome that becomes visible during mitosis or meiosis |
| chromatin | the material that makes up both mitotic and interphase chromosomes; a complex of proteins and DNA strands that are loosely coiled |
| chromosomal mutation | a change in the structure of a chromosome |
| chromosome | in a eukaryotic cell, one of the structures in the nucleus that are made of DNA and proteins; in a prokaryotic cell, the main ring of DNA |
| cytokinesis | the division of the cytoplasm of the cell; cytokinesis follows the division of the cell's nucleus by mitosis or meiosis |
| deletion | the loss of part of DNA from a chromosome |
| deoxyribonucleic acid | DNA, the material that contains the information that determines inherited characteristics |
| diploid | a cell that contains two sets of chromosomes |
| duplication | when a segment of a chromosome is duplicated and thus displayed more than once on the chromosome |
| gamete | a haploid reproductive cell that unites with another haploid reproductive cell to form a zygote |
| gene splicing | a type of gene recombination in which the DNA is intentionally broken and recombined using laboratory techniques |
| gene therapy | a technique in which a defective gene is replaced with a normal version of the gene |
| genetic engineering | a technology in which the genome of a living cell is modified for medical or industrial use |
| genetically modified organism (GMO) | an organisms whose genetic material has been altered through some genetic engineering technology or technique |
| haploid | describes a cell, nucleus or organism that has only one set of unpaired chromosomes |
| histone | a type of protein molecule found in the chromosomes of eukaryotic cells but not prokaryotic cells |
| homologous chromosome | chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes , that have the same structure and that pair during mitosis |
| inheritance | the process in which genetic material is passed from parents to their offspring |
| interphase | a period between two mitotic or meitoic divisions during which the cell grows, copies its DNA and makes proteins |
| inversion | a reversal in the order of genes , or of a chromosome segment, within a chromosome |
| karyotype | a picture of the array of chromosomes visible in a cell during metaphase; a graphical display that shows and individuals's chromosomes arranged in homologous pairs and in order of diminishing size |
| mitosis | in eukaryotic cells, a process of cell division that forms two nuclei , each of which has the same number of chromosomes |
| meiosis | a process in cell division during which the number of chromosomes decreases to half the original number by two divisions of the nucleus, which results in the production of sex cells (gametes or spores) |
| metaphase | one of the stages of mitosis or meiosis, during which all of the chromosomes move the center of the cell |
| nucleus (in a cell) | a membrane bound organelle that contains the cell's DNA and has a role in processes such as growth , metabolism and reproduction |
| prophase | the first stage of mitosis and meiosis in cell division; characterized by the condensation of the chromosomes and the dissolving of the nuclear envelope |
| spindle fiber | one of the microtubules that extend across a dividing eukaryotic cell; assists in the movement of chromosomes |
| sex chromosome | one of the pair of chromosomes that determines the sex of an individual |
| translocation | the movement of a segment of DNA from one chromosome to another; which results in a change in the position of the segment |
| telophase | the final stage of mitosis or meiosis , during which a nuclear membrane forms around each new set of chromosomes |
