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Autosome
A chromosome not involved in sex determination.
Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)
A vector used to clone DNA fragments (100- to 300-kb insert size; average, 150 kb) in Escherichia coli cells.
Gene
The fundamental physical and functional unit of heredity. A gene is an ordered sequence of nucleotides located in a particular position on a particular chromosome that encodes a specific functional product
Mutation
Any heritable change in DNA sequence.
Acquired genetic mutation
A change in the genetic structure that is neither inherited nor passed to offspring. Also called acquired mutations.
Mitosis
The process of nuclear division in cells that produces daughter cells that are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell.
Cancer
Diseases in which abnormal cells divide and grow unchecked.
Fraternal twin
Siblings born at the same time as the result of fertilization of two ova by two sperm. They share the same genetic relationship to each other as any other siblings.
Genetic illness
Sickness, physical disability, or other disorder resulting from the inheritance of one or more deleterious alleles.
Pedigree
A family tree diagram that shows how a particular genetic trait or disease has been inherited.
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