Edexcel GCSE Biology key terms

A network of interconnected food chains showing feeding relationships within a community.

Preserved remains or traces of an organism from the past.

Follicle-stimulating hormone; a pituitary hormone that stimulates an ovarian follicle containing an egg to mature.

A small reproductive particle produced by a fungus that can disperse and, if it reaches a suitable host, start a new infection.

An organism in a group that includes yeasts, moulds and the fungus causing Chalara ash dieback.

A sex cell, such as an egg or sperm, which carries one allele for each gene.

A section of a DNA molecule that codes for a specific protein.

The production of a gene's product, including the transcription of the gene into mRNA and the subsequent production of protein.

The movement of alleles between populations, for example when pollen from a GM crop fertilises a sexually compatible plant.

The offspring produced by a group of parents at one stage in a breeding process.

Having the same genetic information.

An organism whose genome has been deliberately altered using genetic engineering to introduce a desired inherited characteristic.

The study and comparison of DNA or RNA sequences to investigate relationships between organisms.

A diagram showing the parental genotypes, the alleles in their gametes and the possible genotypes of their offspring.

The range of different alleles present in a population.

The deliberate modification of an organism’s genome by inserting, removing or changing DNA to produce a desired inherited characteristic.

The study of inheritance and variation in organisms.

A version of a region of DNA whose nucleotide base sequence differs from another version.

Differences between individuals caused by differences in their DNA.

The entire DNA of an organism.

The combination of alleles an organism has for a gene, such as $DD$, $Dd$ or $dd$.

A plant hormone used commercially to initiate seed germination, promote flower and fruit formation, and produce seedless fruit.

An organ or group of cells that produces and secretes substances.

A knot of capillaries inside Bowman’s capsule where blood is filtered under pressure.

A hormone secreted by the pancreas when blood glucose concentration is too low; it causes liver cells to convert stored glycogen into glucose.

A carbohydrate used to store glucose in animal cells, particularly in the liver and muscles.

The change in the vertical quantity divided by the change in the horizontal quantity on a graph.