Chapter 1
The mechanical mouth
Chapter 2
The spooky transformation
Chapter 3
The genetics rebel
Chapter 4
From the Mediterranean to the backyard
Ch 3 · The genetics rebel
artiteacher While pea plants clearly pass down dominant or recessive traits, snapdragons mix their parental colors to create entirely new variations.
artiteacher Incomplete dominance prevents one color gene from completely dominating the other in snapdragons.
Fun Fact
Non-Mendelian pets: The same genetic blending rules that make pink snapdragons also explain why we get calico cats and certain human blood types!
Glossary
transposon (noun)
A DNA sequence that can change its position within a genome. In the 1980s, geneticist Enrico Coen studied these mobile elements in snapdragons at the John Innes Centre.
A DNA sequence that can change its position within a genome. In the 1980s, geneticist Enrico Coen studied these mobile elements in snapdragons at the John Innes Centre.
Quiz
Why did Gregor Mendel avoid using plants like snapdragons for his foundational genetics experiments?
Quiz
What happens when you cross-pollinate a pure red snapdragon with a pure white snapdragon?
Quiz
What genetic term describes when red and white snapdragons blend to create pink flowers?
Quiz
Which specific plant feature have scientists extensively studied using snapdragons as a model?
Quiz
Why are snapdragons frequently used as a 'model organism' in scientific research?
Quiz
What tool do gardeners use to remove the pollen-producing stamens when preparing a snapdragon to be a mother plant?
Quiz
Why do plant breeders wrap a plastic bag over a manually pollinated snapdragon flower?