LT-MS-LS3-2 Notes and Key Concepts  

MS-LS3-2. Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with 
identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation. 
 
 
1. Organisms can have different proteins in their cells for a particular feature. 
2. Genes are instructions for proteins. 
3. Each gene version provides a unique instruction to make a specific protein molecule in an 
organism’s cells. 
4. An organism has two copies of a gene for each feature.The two copies of a gene for each 
feature can be the same version (homozygous) and provide instructions for only one type of 
protein.The two copies of a gene for each feature can be different versions (heterozygous) 
and provide instructions for two types of proteins 

 
 
Venom Inheritance Model Caption:  
Notice-- the spider has two gene versions. This means it is heterozygous.  
The gene variations are made up of proteins. The genes instruct the proteins which make 
a particular feature.  
 
5. Organisms inherit their genes through sexual reproduction. 
  
6. Each parent randomly passes on one of its two copies of each gene to its offspring. Each 
offspring, therefore, receives two copies of each gene, one from each parent. 
7. Through sexual reproduction, each offspring can inherit a different combination of gene 
versions. Therefore, siblings can have different traits from each other and even from their 
parents. 
 
Traits and Reproduction Glossary 
allele 
a specific form of a gene that provides instructions for making a particular protein molecule 
chromosome 
a long piece of DNA that contains many genes 
DNA 
a type of molecule that genes and chromosomes are made of 
feature 
a characteristic that all members of a species have 
fertilization 
when a male and a female reproductive cell combine to create an offspring 
gene 
an instruction for making a protein molecule 
gene version 
a specific form of a gene that provides instructions for making a particular protein molecule 
heterozygous 
having gene versions that are different 
homozygous 
having gene versions that are the same 
inherit 
to receive genes from a parent 
mutation 
a random change to a gene that sometimes results in a new trait 
nonfunctional protein 
a protein molecule that does not perform its function, often because it does not connect to other molecules 
nucleus 
the part of a cell where genes are found 
offspring 
an organism produced as a result of reproduction 
protein molecule 
a type of large molecule that performs important functions inside organisms 
ribosomes 
the parts of the cell that build protein molecules based on instructions from genes 
sexual reproduction 
the process in which two parents pass on their genes to create offspring 
trait 
a specific characteristic of an individual organism 
variation 
any difference in traits between individual organisms 
 
Asexual Reproduction: