COMMON TERMINOLOGY and ABBREVIATION

EXERCISE NO. 1
AI- artificial insemination
BC- back cross
BLAD- bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency
BLUP- best linear unbiased prediction
bp- base pair
cDNA- complementary deoxyribonucleic acid
CITES- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
cM- centimorgan
DNA- deoxyribonucleic acid
EBV- estimated breeding value
ET- embryo transfer
F1- first filial generation
F2- second filial generation
FISH- fluorescence in situ hybridization
GP- grand parent
GWS- genome wide selection
HbA- haemoglobin alpha
HbB- haemoglobin beta
IUCN- International Union for Conservation of Nature
IVF- in vitro fertilization
IVM- in vitro maturation
kb- kilobase
MAS- marker assisted selection
miRNA- micro ribonucleic acid
MOET- multiple ovulation and embryo transfer
mRNA- messenger ribonucleic acid
O- offspring

ORF- open reading frame

P- parent
PCR- polymerase chain reaction
QTL- quantitative trait locus
RFLP- restriction fragment length polymorphism
SNP- single nucleotide polymorphism
UTR- untranslated region
3 UTR- three prime untranslated region; region of mRNA that follows the translation termination codon.
5UTR- five prime untranslated region; the leader sequence, the region of mRNA that is directly upstream
from the initial codon.
Acrocentric- a chromosome having the centromere located slightly nearer one end than the other.
Albinism- a condition caused by lack of melanin production in iris, hair, and skin.
Albino- an individual characterized by the absence of pigment; individual who is under the condition of
albinism.
Allele- one of the different forms of gene that can exist at a single locus.
Allele frequency- a measure of the commonness of an allele in a population; the proportion of all alleles of
that gene in the population that are of this specific type.
Aneuploidy- variation in chromosome number by whole chromosomes but less than an entire set. Ex.
2n+1 trisomy, 2n-1 monosomy
Autosomes- all chromosomes except sex chromosomes.
Barr body- the densely staining mass that representsan inactivated x chromosome.
Bottle neck- fluctuations in gene frequency occurring when a large population passes to a contracted
stage and then expands again with an alternate gene pool.
Breed- animals that are genetically pure enough to have similar external characteristic of color and
conformation that when mated together produces an offspring of the same characteristics.
Breeding Value- the sum of gene effects of a breeding animal as measured by the performance of its
progeny.
Centromere- a specialized region of the DNA on each eukaryotic chromosome that acts as a site for the
binding kinetochore proteins.
Chiasma/ Chiasmata- a cross-shaped structure commonly observed between nonsister chromatids in

meiosis; the site of crossing over.

Chromatid- one of the two side by side replicas produced by chromosomal division
Chromosome- structure that contain DNA normally in double helix; an organized structure of DNA, protein
and RNA found in cells.
Codon- section of DNA that encodes a single amino acid; set of nucleotide that is specific for a particular
amino acid and protein synthesis.
Common ancestor- individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended.
Correlation- the tendency of one variable to vary in proportion to another variable either positively, or
negatively.
Cross breeding- mating of animals of different breeds.
Dam- female parent or mother.
Disjunction- separation of chromosomes at anaphase stage of cell division.
DNA cloning- process wherein a section of DNA that has been inserted into a vector molecule, such as a
plasmid or a phage chromosome, and then replicated to form many copies.
DNA fingerprint- the autoradiographical banding pattern produced when DNA is digested with a restriction
enzyme that cuts outside a family of VNTRs (variable number of repeat tandems) and a southern
blot of the electrophoretic gel is probed with a VNTR- specific probe.
DNA ligase- important enzyme in DNA replication and repair that seals the DNA backbone by catalysing
the formation of phosphodiester bond.
Dominant gene- gene when paired with its allele, covers up the phenotypic expression of that gene
Effective population size- number of breeding individual in an idealised population that would show the
same amount of dispersion of allele frequency under random genetic drift or the same amount of
inbreeding as the population under consideration.
Epistasis- a situation in which the differential phenotypic expression of a genotype at one locus depends
on the genotype at another locus; a mutation that exerts its expression while cancelling the
expression of the alleles of another gene.
Euploidy- a cell having any number of complete chromosome sets or an individual organism composed
of such cells.
Freemartin- sterile female born co-twin with a male, sexually imperfect.
Gene- segment of DNA that carries inherited information; set of information that codes for certain proteins

Gene mapping- assignment of a locus to a specific chromosome and or determining the sequence of
genes and their relative distances from one another on a specific chromosome.
Genetic drift- change of frequency in an allele in a population resulting from the chance difference in the
actual number of offspring of different genotype produced by different individual members.
Genome- all the inherited information in a cell; array of genes carried by an individual.
Genotype- animals true (genetic) make up.
Genotype frequency- the proportion of individual in a population that possess a given genotype.
Germ plasm- hereditary material transmitted from generation to generation
Grading up-breeding system that involves the continued use of purebred sires of the same breed in a
grade herd.
Half-sib- mating of a male animal to his half sister, that is a female either same sire or same dam.
Heritability- a measure of proportion of phenotypic variation that is based on the additive effects of gene.
Hermaphrodite- individual having both male and female sex organs.
Heterogenic sex- the sex that has two heterotrophic sex chromosomes and hence, produces two different
kinds of gamete with respect to the sex chromosome.
Heterosis- (hybrid vigor) amount of F1 generation exceeds the P1 generation for a given trait or amount
of crossbreeds exceed the average of the two purebred that are crossed to produce the
crossbreeds
Heterozygote- two pairs of a gene that are not the same.
Homozygous- two pairs of a gene in which both pairs are identical.
Identical by descent- the condition in which two alleles are both replicas of a single ancestral allele in the
recent past.
Inbreeding- breeding system in which there is mating of individuals that are more closely related than
average individual in a population.
Inbreeding coefficient- a measure of genetic effects of inbreeding in inbred organism compared with
heterozygosity expected with random mating.
Inheritance- something that is or may be inherited derived by an heir from an ancestor.
Karyogram- graphic representation of the complete set of chromosomes or photographic representation
of the karyotype of an individual.
Karyotype- the size and shape, appearance of metaphase somatic chromosomes.

Law of segregation- the factors of a pair of characters are segregated; the separation into different
gametes and thence, into different offspring of the two members of each pair of alleles possessed
by diploid parental organism.
Lethal gene- a gene whose phenotypic effect is sufficiently drastic to kill the bearer.
Line breeding- a form of in breeding that attempts to concentrate the inheritance of some ancestor in the
pedigree.
Linkage- the occurrence of different genes on the same chromosome
Locus/ loci- the position or place on a chromosome occupied by a particular gene or one of its allele.
Meiosis- nuclear division in which the diploid or somatic chromosome number is reduced in half.
Metacentric- a chromosome with a centrally located centromere.
Mitosis- nuclear division in which a replication of chromosome is followed by separation of products of
replication and their incorporation into two daughter nuclei.
Monosamy- the aneuploidy state of cell type, normally diploid, with only one homolog of a pair of
chromosome.
Mutation- gene changes; sudden variation that result from changes in a gene or genes that is later
passed on through inheritance.
Nondisjunction- the failure of homologuous chromosomes to separate at anaphase I of meiosis.
Nucleosome- (nu body) a complex of four histone molecules, each present in duplicate, wrapped by two
turns of a DNA molecule.
Nucleotide- portion of DNA or RNA moleculecomposed of one deoxyribose phosphate unit (in DNA) or
ribose unit (in RNA), plus a purine or pyrimidine
Okazaki fragment- small discontinuous strands of DNA produced during DNA synthesis
Oligonucleotides- linear sequence of a few (generally not over 10) nucleotides.
Outcrossing- the introduction of genetic material from some outside and unrelated source but of same
breed, into a herd that is more or less related.
Panmixia- random mating
Pedigree- ancestral history of an individual; a written statement giving the record of animals ancestry.
Penetrance- frequency (expressed in percentage) with which individual of given genotype manifest at
least some degree of a specific mutant phenotype associated with a trait.
Phenotype- observable properties; characteristic of an animal that can be seen/ measured.

Plasmid- extra chromosomal, circular, DNA molecule (often carrying genetic information) that replicates
independently of the host chromosome.
Pleiotrphy- condition in which a single mutation simultaneously affects several characters.
Polar body- cell produced at either the first or second meiotic division in females that contains almost no
cytoplasm as a result of an unequal cytokinesis.
Polygenes- one of a group of genes that together control a quantitative character
Polymorphism- existence of two or more discontinuous, segregating phenotypes in a population.
Primers- in nucleic acids, a short length of RNA or single stranded DNA that is necessary for the
functioning of polymerases.
Promoters- region having a regulatory function and to which RNA polymerase binds prior to the inititation
of transcription.
Proteome- entire set of proteins expressed by a genome, cell, tissue or organism at a certain time.
Pseudo-autosomal region- are homologous sequences of nucleotides on the X and Y chromosomes.
Punnett square- a checkboard grid designed to determine all the possible genotypes produced by a given
cross.
Purebreeding- type of breeding in which both the mating breeds are of pure lines.
Purines- nitrogenous base organic compound occurring in DNA & RNA; adenine and guanine
Pyrimidine- nitrogenous base organic compound occurring in DNA ( thymine and cytosine) and RNA
(uracil and cytosine).
Pyrosequencing- Pyrosequencing is a method of DNA sequencing (determining the order of nucleotides
in DNA) based on the "sequencing by synthesis" principle. It differs from Sanger sequencing, in
that it relies on the detection of pyrophosphate release on nucleotide incorporation, rather than
chain termination with dideoxynucleotides.
Qualitative trait- traits in which there is a sharp distinction between phenotypes usually involving only one
or two pairs of gene.
Quantitative trait- traits in which there is no sharp distinction between phenotypes usually involving
several genes and environment.
Random mating- a population mating system in which every male gamete has an equal opportunity to join
in fertilization with every female gamete.
Recessive gene- gene that when paired when dominant allele is not expressed in phenotypic expression

of that gene, unless both gene pairs are recessive.

Restriction enzymes- any of the specific endonucleases present in many strains of E. coli that recognize
and degrade DNA from foreign source.
Reverse transcriptase- polymerase that uses RNA as a template to transcribe a single stranded DNA
molecule as a product.
Ribosomes- cytoplasmic structure, usually adherent to the endoplasmic reticulum, which is the site of
protein synthesis.
RNA polymerase- enzyme catalysing the formation of RNA from ribonucleotides using one strand of DNA
as template.
Rotational crossing- breeding system in which there is a combination of two or more breeds, where in the
breed of the sire used is different from the previous generation and replacement crossbred
females are retained from each cross.
Sanger sequencing- + and method or primed synthesis, DNA is synthesized in vitro such a way that it is
radioactively labelled and the reaction terminates specifically at the position corresponding to a
given base.
Selection (natural vs. artificial)- determining which animal in a population will produce next generation.
Artificial selection often involves producers, while nature chooses the individual involved in
natural selection.
Selection index- method for artificial selection in which useful traits are selected simultaneously.
Sex-linked- phenotypic expression that is conditioned by the sex of an individual.
Sire- male parent/ father
Splicing- removal of introns during mRNA processing
Stud- animal retained for breeding
Sub-metacentric- a chromosome that appears]-shaped at anaphase because centromere is nearer than
one end than the other.
Tandem selection- method of artificial selection in which useful traits are selected for sequentially.
Test cross- the cross of an individual (generally of dominant phenotype) with having the recessive
phenotype, generally used to determine whether an individual of dominant phenotype is
homozygous or heterozygous or to determine the degree of linkage.
Transcription- synthesis of messenger RNA from a DNA template

Transcriptome- is the set of all RNA molecules including mRNA, rRNA, tRNAm and other non coding
RNA produced in one or a population of cells.
Transgene- foreign gene that is introduced into an organism by injecting the gene into newly fertilized
eggs.
Transgenesis- the process of introducing an exogenous gene-transgene- into a living organism so that
organism will exhibit new property and transmit that property to offspring.
Translation- the process by which a particular mRNA nucleotide sequence is responsible for specific
amino acid residue sequence of a polypeptide.
Trisomy- the condition in which a cell or organism possess two copies of each chromosome, except for
one, which is present in three copies. 2n+1
Wild type- most frequently encountered phenotype in natural breeding populations; normal phenotype
x-inactivation- in mammalian females, the random cessation of transcriptional activity fof one x
chromosome.

References:

Brewer G. & C. Sing,1983. Genetics. Addison and Wesley Publishing Co. Massachusetts

Burns, G.,1972. The Science of Genetics,2

Ensminger, M.E & P. Holden, 2006. Swine Science,7 ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, New
Jersey

Goldstein, P. 1967. Genetics is Easy,4 ed.,Lanhan Press Publishers, New York

Mosbys Pocket Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professionals 2006 7 ed.
Mosby Elsevier Co.

Internet: http://www.allacronyms.com Accessed on December 01, 2013

Internet: http://www.wikipedia.org. Accessed on December 01,2013

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