GENETICS AND INHERITANCE

CHAPTER 19
 Alleles

• Different forms of homologous genes: humans

have 23 pairs of chromosomes
• Homozygous: both alleles identical
• Heterozygous: alleles different
• Genotype: complete set of genes and alleles
• Phenotype: observed physical and functional
traits

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 Punnett Squares

Figure 19.2
Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Patterns of Genetic Inheritance

• Punnett square analysis: predicts patterns of

inheritance
• Mendel developed basic rules of inheritance
• Law of segregation: reproductive cells carry
only one copy of each gene
• Law of independent assortment: genes for
different traits are separated from each other
independently during meiosis; applies in most
cases

Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings.

 Allelic Interactions

• Genotype and environment affect phenotype

• Dominant alleles: gene always expressed, even
if heterozygous
• Recessive alleles: two copies of gene needed to
be expressed, must be homozygous
• Incomplete dominance: heterozygote is an
intermediate phenotype

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 Allelic Interactions (cont.)

• Codominance: both phenotypes equally

expressed
• Polygenic inheritance: multiple genes involved
• Linked genes: may be inherited together if close
on a chromosome

Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings.

 Pedigree Chart: Inheritance Pattern
for an X-linked Recessive Disease

Figure 19.12

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 Sex-Linked Inheritance: X and Y
Chromosomes
• Origin of sex chromosomes
• Chance mutations
• Y determines sex
• Sex-linked genes located on sex chromosomes
• Sex linked or X-linked inheritance
• Characteristics: mostly males with disease, passed
to sons by mother, father cannot pass the gene
• Sex influenced traits: affected by presence of
testosterone, estrogen
Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Genes and Behavior

• Mechanism
• Product from gene-specific proteins
• Proteins have specific functions leading to
phenotypes

• Protein Functions: hormones, enzymes,

structural, neurotransmitters

Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings.