It is important to understand flower anatomy in order to cross plants in genetic experiments. The simple flower of Arabidopsis is quite typical for higher plants. In the lab, we will examine several Arabidopsis mutants that have defects in trichome development. The task is to identify and compare the mutant phenotypes. RNA can be translated into proteins on ribosomes.
Proteins make the functional machinery of life.
Most genes encode proteins. One gene determines one character. Alleles are alternative forms of the gene. Different alleles of one gene can impose different phenotypes. The genetic makeup of an organism is referred to as its genotype.