Definition

Noun: 1. A principle of heredity: One of the fundamental principles governing the inheritance of physical traits in organisms, formulated by Gregor Mendel based on his experiments with pea plants. These laws describe how discrete units (now called genes and alleles) are passed from parents to offspring. 2. A specific genetic principle: Refers specifically to either the Law of Segregation (allele pairs separate during gamete formation) or the Law of Independent Assortment (alleles for different traits are distributed to gametes independently of one another).

Usage Examples

• General Principle:
  • Mendel's law of segregation explains why offspring can exhibit traits not visible in their parents.
  • The inheritance pattern followed a classic Mendel's law.
• Specific Reference:
  • The experiment's results were consistent with Mendel's law of independent assortment.
  • A basic understanding of Mendel's law is essential for studying genetics.

Advanced Usage & Context

• Historical Context: The term is often used to acknowledge the foundational nature of Mendel's work, while also noting its limitations. Modern genetics has shown that many inheritance patterns (e.g., incomplete dominance, codominance, gene linkage) are exceptions to the simple dominance relationships Mendel described.
  • While Mendel's law provides the cornerstone of genetics, subsequent research revealed more complex modes of inheritance.
• Scientific Formulation: In precise scientific writing, the specific law (Law of Segregation or Law of Independent Assortment) is typically named rather than using the general term "Mendel's law."

Variants and Related Words

• Mendelian inheritance (n): Inheritance patterns that obey Mendel's laws.
  • The trait showed a simple Mendelian inheritance pattern.
• Non-Mendelian inheritance (n): Inheritance patterns that do not follow Mendel's laws, such as mitochondrial inheritance or genomic imprinting.
• Law of Segregation (n): The specific Mendel's law stating that allele pairs separate during the formation of gametes.
• Law of Independent Assortment (n): The specific Mendel's law stating that genes for different traits are inherited independently of each other.

Synonyms

• Principle of Mendelian inheritance
• Mendelian principle

Noun

1. (genetics) one of two principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel on the basis of his experiments with plants; the principles were limited and modified by subsequent genetic research