UNIT EIGHT:  PATTERNS OF INHERITANCE

Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:

1.  State Mendel's three laws of inheritance.
2.  Distinguish between genotype and phenotype.
3.  Provide examples of homozygous and heterozygous genotypes.
4.  Define and describe a gene and homologous chromosomes.
5.  Define and describe alleles.
6.  Use the Punnet Spuare as a tool in solving genetic problems.
7.  Predict the probability of outcomes for various genetic crosses.
8.  Discuss the need to be able to deal with probability vs. possibility
        vs. reality when dealing with the outcomes of genetic crosses.
9.  Obtain the possible gametes from any given genotype.
10.  Use proper symbols for genes and generations to illustrate crosses
        with one pair of alleles (monohybrid) and two pairs of alleles (dihybrid).
11.  Determine the genotype and phenotype ratios of the F1 and F2 generations
        when given the genotype of the parents.
12.  Set up a back cross (test cross) to determine the genetic make-up of
        an individual.
13.  Explain how crossing-over occurs and what results from it.
14.  Explain why genes located on the same chromosome tend to be inherited together.
15.  Differentiate between autosomes and sex chromosomes.
16.  Explain chromosomal determination of sex in man.
17.  Define nondisjunction and explain its relevance to chromosomal genetics
        (repeat objective from unit 7).

18.  Compare the gene composition of the X and Y chromosomes.
19.  Work genetic problems dealing with multiple alleles, polygenic inheritance
        and X-linked  characteristics.
20.  Cite examples of incomplete dominance.
21.  Contrast sex-linked and sex-influenced genes.
22.  Explain the significance of lethal genes.
23.  Give examples which tend to illustrate that the environment influences the phenotypic
        development of the genotype.
24.  Explain why one inherits the potential for characteristics rather than the
        characteristics per se.
25.  Explain why many genetic studies utilize Drosophila melanogaster.
26.  Explain the importance of statistical tests regarding genetic studies.

Unit References:  Text Chapters 10
                                http://www.mhhe.com/enger12

                                An Online Biology Text Book

Unit 8:  Patterns of Inheritance

When Dealing with Genetics you must deal with:  (Objective #8)
                    Possibility  vs.  Probability  vs.  Reality

Gregor Mendel:  Father of Modern Day Genetics,  Austrian Monk (1860)
 
Modern day modifications to what we learned from Mendels thinking:
                            Traits controlled by genes passed from generation to generation
                            Traits expressed by 2 genes, one maternal, one paternal
     1.  Meiosis creates gametes, one chromosome of each pair passed
     2.  Upon fertilization, each parent contributes matching chromosomes (Homologous)
     3.  Chance alone determines which chromosome goes to which gamete.
     4.  Dominant (default) gene ----->  codes for protein  (symbol = capital letter)
          Recessive gene ---->  does not transcribe (symbol = lower case letter)

Additional Vocabulary:  (Objective #2, 3, 5)  text pg 192-193
     Genotype-

     Phenotype-

     Genome-

     Homozygous (dominant or recessive)-

     Heterozygous-

     Alleles-

Mendel's Laws of Heredity:  (Objective #1)  text pg. 196-198
     1.  Law of Dominance:

     2.  Law of Segregation:

     3.  Law of Independent Assortment:

            Check Out:    Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms
                                     Mendel Web

SOLVING GENETICS PROBLEMS:  (Objective #6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)  text pgs 198- 203
     Probability vs. Possibility vs. Reality

          Predict:  Offspring phenotypes, genotypes and ratios represented

Single Factor Cross:  Monohybrid

     5 step process:  pg 198-201

Earlobes:  Free vs. Attached
     Step 1:  Assign a symbol for each allele
                    E = free       e = attached
 

 Step 2:  Determine genotypes of parents and indicate a mating
               2 Heterozygous parents   Ee  X  Ee

               (could have been EE  X  EE;  EE  X  Ee  etc.)

     Step 3:  Determine all possible gametes each parent can produce
               Ee can produce (or pass to offspring) gametes containing E or e.

          ***Use Punnett Square to show mating***
 

                    Each box
                    represents
                    a possible
                    offspring
 
 

     Step 4:  Determine all gene combinations resulting when these gametes unite
                    (fill in Punnett)

     Step 5:  Determine Phenotype of each gene combination

               EE = Free      Ee, eE = Free       ee = attached

          *Genotype ratio 1:2:1         Phenotype ratio 3:1
 

(Objective #6 - 11)
Mate:  Homozygous Dom Tall (T)  X  Homozygous Rec Short (t)
          Parents ???  (Considered to be the P generation)
          Gametes ???
          Offspring ???  (Considered to be the F1 generation)

          Mate:  Two F1 Individuals of previous cross (heterozygous tall)
          Mating ???
          Gametes ???
          Offspring ???  Ratios ???

Problem #3 of problem sheet details similar crosses and will be very similar to
            Monohybrid test question

(Objective #6-11)
Monohybrid examples (text pg 200):  do genotype and phenotype ratios change according to cross
     In humans:  N is the gene for normal phenyalanine metabolism
                      n is the gene possessed by PKU individuals

     What ratios result from:
          Homozygous normal X heterozygous (carrier) normal
 

          Heterozygous normal X homozygous PKU

            Check Out:   Punnett Square Animations

 (Objective #6-11)
Double Factor Cross:  Dihybrid Inheritance-  inheritance patterns
when two traits are involved  Text pgs 201-202

Alleles:       T - Tall       t - short                   R - Rough      r- smooth

     1.  Cross homozygous Tall/Rough with homozygous short/smooth
          Parents??
          Gametes??
          F1??
     2.  Cross two F1  offspring (both heterozygous for both traits)
          Mating??
          Gametes??
          F2??

Problem:  Since homozygous dominant and heterozygous individuals appear the
    same how do we tell them apart genetically?  (Ex.  TT and Tt both appear tall;
    TTRR and TtRr both appear to be Tall and Rough)

Test Cross (back cross) Somewhat old school (Objective #12)- crosses used to preserve pure lines;
            identify heterozygotes
          *Cross questionable dominant with a HOMOZYGOUS RECESSIVE individual

*Monohybrid - tall plant, is it TT or Tt?
     if TT     then  TT  X  tt     will only produce Tt (tall) offspring

     if Tt     then  Tt  X  tt     will give Tt (tall) or tt (short)  1:1 ratio

*Dihybrid - Tall/ Rough, is it TTRR or TtRr? (or TTRr; TtRR)
     if TTRR   then TTRR  X  ttrr  will only produce TtRr (Tall/ Rough) offspring

     if TtRr   then TtRr  X ttrr   will produce TtRr; Ttrr, ttRr, ttrr in 1:1:1:1 ratio

            Check Out:   Biology Project- Dihybrid Cross Problems
 

(Objective #13 Text pg 182
CROSSING OVER- swap of homologous genetic info;  occurs during meiosis,
        creates genetic variability

            Check Out:   Crossingover of Chromosomes during Meiosis
                                    Assortment of Chromosomes in Meiosis

     Homologous chromosomes (no crossover)
 
 
 
 

     Homologous chromosomes (single crossover)
 
 
 
 

                         chiasma

Alert!! Trivial info coming pencils could explode if attempts are made to copy all of this!

*Crossing over contributes to variability of genome
        Total possible combos for one individual = 2n (2 possible outcomes; n = total # of
        chromosome pairs; humans  n = 23)

     Example,  one coin  two possibilities   21 = 2 (head or tail)
                 two coins two possibilities for each coin  22 = 4 possible outcomes

     Humans  2 23 = 8,388,608 possible combos  (remember the encyclopedias ?)

          if one crossover (there are usually many)
               423 = 70,368,744,000,000 possible combos for one individual

          When fertilization takes place:  with one crossover  (4 23 )2 or

               4,951,760,200,000,000,000,000,000,000 different possible offspring for each
                        couple!
 

Chromosome Theory (Objective #14, 15, 16)-  Chromosomes carry hereditary units
    (genes), since traits are more numerous than chromosomes, then each chromosome
    carries many traits.

     -Gene linkage and linkage groups.  Text pg 208-210

     Humans:  23 pairs of chromosomes, therefore, 23 linkage groups

          22 pairs of autosomes (not involved in sex determination)
           1 pair of sex chromosomes (alone determine sex of individual),  X and Y
                Text pg. 597-599
                    XX = female;  XY = male

     Upon meiosis:       female gametes can only contain an X
                        male gametes can contain an X or a Y  (50:50 prob of either)

               Male determines sex of offspring  (did Henry the VIII know?!?!)

Potential Problems with Meiosis: (Objective #17) text pg 185-187, 597-599
     Nondisjunction-  failure of chromosomes to properly divide during meiosis

     In Sex Chromosomes can be tolerated:  Turners = XO;  Kleinfelters = XXY
     ***XYY male

     In Autosomes, nondisjunction is rarely tolerated:  Down's syndrome

            Check Out:   Introduction to Chromosome Abnormalities
                                    National Down's Syndrome Society
                                    A Guide For XXY Males and Their Families

REAL WORLD GENETICS:  GENE INTERACTION
1.  Incomplete Dominance (lack of dominance); Codominance  (Objective #20)
        text pg 202- 204 
     -two unlike alleles both expressed equally, appear to produce intermediate
        phenotype in the heterozygote

     Snap dragon petal color (roan cattle, 4 O'clocks)
          CW- white flower;  CR- red flower  (alleles at same locus)

          C W CW  X  CR CR ------->  CWCR  (all Pink)

          CWCR  X  CWCR ------->  CWCW : C WCR :  CR CR  (in 1:2:1 ratio)

2.  Multiple Alleles (Objective #19) text pg 205-  characteristics determined by
        more than two different alleles.
     (Multiple alternative forms of a gene) Ex. Cystic Fibrosis, 330 diff forms of that gene.

     Human Blood Types:  A, B, AB, o
          Alleles: A,  B (are codominant) and o (A and B are dominant to o)
               to be type o you must be homozygous recessive

     Type AB mother says Type o man is father of her Type A child.  Possible?

     Type AB mother says Type o man is father of her Type AB child.  Possible?

            Check Out:   Genes and Blood Type
                                    ABO Genetics

3.  Polygenic inheritance (Objective #19) text pg 206-  ("Mailman", "Milkman",
        "UPS man", "Schwan man" Syndrome)
     -inheritance determined by several genes at different locations.  Ex.  Eye color, skin
        color, height.

     *Results in wide variation in the expression of the trait, statistically will fit a bell shaped
        curve.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Skin color:         AABBCC (Black)  X  aabbcc  (White) ----->  AaBbCc  (Mullato)

          AaBbCc ---> 3 different genes each with 2 possible outcomes = 8 combos

            Check Out:   Polygenic Inheritance
                                   Poly Gene Inheritance

4. Pleiotropy

5.  Sex Linked Inheritance (Objective #18, 19, 21) text pg 208-210 - refers
        to inheritance  of genes on the X chromosome.
     -since females have XX and males XY then all the genes on the X for the male are
        expressed whether they are dominant or recessive

     X chromosome                             Y chromosome
     Long                                              short
     many genes, many alleles           few alleles (perhaps a few in common with X)
                                                            Y contains male determining genes

 **X and Y are not homologous

Red/ Green Colorblindness:   X N = normal;  Xn = colorblind;  Y = male, contains no cb genes

Cross:  Normal male  (XN Y)  X    heterozygous female (normal carrier;  XNXn )
 

*Did son inherit colorblindness from father?
*What do sons inherit from their fathers?

Calico Cats are females:  XB = black;  XG = gold  and are sex linked

            Check Out:   NOVA Sex Determination

6.  Sex- influenced (Objective #21)-  Determined by autosomes (not X or Y).  Phenotype
    appears in both sexes  but different genotypes are necessary in males and females to
    produce phenotype

          Ex.  pattern baldness;  Index finger longer than or equal to 4th finger dom in females

     **Hormonal differences between sexes usually responsible

7.  Lethal genes (Objective #22)-  mutations to genes that lead directly to the death of
    organism before  reproductive age  ex. Huntingtons disease (rare in that it appears
    after reproductive age)

INHERITANCE CONDITIONS
     Nature vs. Nurture  (Objective #23, 24)  pg 211- 213
          debate but no clear answer, wise person agrees influence is from both
          -possible for two identical genotypes (twins) to differ in phenotypes

     Environment effects expression- even though you inherit a trait, the environment may
        not allow you to express it

          Internal environment (chemical)-  Ex. male voice,  genes for pitch; pre puberty
                vs. post puberty
          External environment-  Ex. Snowhare rabbit, siamese cat
               Coat color genes may not reveal themselves unless the temp of skin is
                    above/below a certain point, *most dramatically seen on feet, ears

               Humans-  freckles appear upon exposure to sun

            Check Out:   Your Genes, Your Health
                                    National Society of Genetic Counselors

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