Bio 30- Inheritance

Single Factor Genetics: a branch of biology that deals with inheritance of specific traits.
Genes: sections of DNA that code for specific proteins which make up all organisms. Copies of a
gene for the same trait.
Genetic Definitions
Homozygous: both alleles of a pair are identical- organism is pure for that trait
 TT-homozygous dominant (purebred dominant)
 Tt homozygous recessive (pure bread recessive)
Heterozygous: the alleles are different for the trait-organism is a hybrid for that trait
 Tt heterozygote (hybrid)
Dominant Allele: The allele which we can represent with a capital letter.
Recessive Allele: The allele that is only expressed when the dominant allele is not present
which we represent with lower case letters.
Genotype: the actual genetic makeup of an individual—the DNA—what allele does it have
Phenotype: the expression of the genotype. How it looks
Heredity: Aka biological traits. Controlled by a chemical code—genes on our DNA—
chromosomes of every cell. This genetic code is present in the chromosomes of the gametes
(egg and sperm). How you pass on characteristics-generation to generation. Two kids of
characteristics
1. Species Characteristics: each species always passes on their own traits
2. Individual Characteristics: we inherit things equally from both parents, offspring always
different from their parents because we are a combination of both parents. Ex. Moms
hair colour, fathers build, mother’s nose.
Your environment effects the potential of what we inherit. Ex. Exercise: stronger healthier
bodies. Sunlight: Lightens hair, darkens freckles.
Independent Events: Another factor that will affect what we inherit are independent events.
 An event that takes place. That no previous event has an effect on
 Ex. You broke your finger when you were six and now its crooked. You will not pass
it on to your offspring. It is an independent event.
Probability: in genetic the mathematical process is probability.
  Probability is the chance that an even will occur (ex. The chance that you will have a
curly hair or blue eyes)
 determining probability, don’t consider items like the environment or independent
events.

Gregor Mendel: father of genetics—monk is Austria—1865 when he was working—studied

patterns of inheritance in peas. Did this because peas are self fertilizing—produces true
breeding generations. (So only need a couple pants to study). to prevent self pollination,
Mendel removed the stamens of the recipient plant. – took that stamen from one plant and
transfer the pollen to the pistil of another plant.
 Bread pea plants—cross pollinate true breeding parents—raised seed + observed traits
—allowed offspring to self pollinate+ observed next generation.
 Also did this with seeds—crossed pollen from a plant with round speeds with one with
wrinkled seeds. Discovered the offspring were always round.
o Scientists before Mendel had believed that crossing traits would blend (slightly
wrinkled) but that wasn’t the case.
 In another experiment, crossed tall plants with short ones (Pure breeding plants)—all
the offspring were tall, we called the “first filial” generation or F1.—crossing F1
generations together produces an F2 generation.
o He then took 2 tall plants from F1 generation and cross bred them. (F2)
o The short one came back. He crossed many F1 plants and when he counted the
F2 plants he found the tall: short ratio was about 3:1.
 So, he concluded that the factors that controlled the traits of a plant. —the factors were
later known as genes. —cross pollinated many plants and kept track of all the results.
o This meant that some traits masked others.
o Dominant allele—functional protein--affects characteristics—masks other.
o Recessive allele—no noticeable effect—allele makes a non-functioning protein.

Mendel’s Work: Traits are passed on by factors (genes)-- Factors (genes) have more than 1
form called alleles-- There are at least 2 alleles for each trait.
Mendel’s Law of Hereditary:
1. Inherited Characteristics: Inheritance. are controlled by genes—genes happen in pairs—
during fertilization each parent contributes one of its genes. —the genes come together
to form a par.
2. Principle of Dominance: Dominance. one gene mask the effect of the other—ex. The
gene for a round seed coat masks the effect of the gene that wrinkles it. Round is the
dominant trait—wrinkled is the recessive
 3. Law of Segregation: Randomization (crossing over stuff). genes sperate during the
formation of sex cells—organisms get one gene from each parent for a particular trait.
During the formation of gametes (sex cells) during meiosis, alleles (form of a gene)
separate randomly so that each gamete receives one or the other. Alleles separate, half
are dominant traits, half are recessive.

So, there are Three possible genotypes:

 Homozygous: the two alleles for the trait are identical
o TT-homozygous dominant (purebred dominant)
o Tt homozygous recessive (pure bread recessive)
 Heterozygous: the two alleles for the trait are different
o Tt heterozygote (hybrid)

Monohybrid Cross: A cross that involved one pair of contrasting genes for one trait
Punnet Square: A special chart that helps geneticists organize the results of a cross
between the sex cells of 2 individuals
Dihybrid Crosses: 1 letter- 1 trait 2 letters- 2 traits Factoring and foiling ex. (x+3)(x+4)=x2+8x+12
Like calc
(TT)(AA)x(tt)(aa)=TA x ta (DON’T HAVE TO WRITE REPEATS)
(Ta)(aa) x (tt)(AA) =Ta, ta x tA
(Tt)(Aa) x (Tt)(Aa)= TA, Ta, tA, ta
Based on Mendel’s research—more complex—an addition
Incomplete dominance: hybrids have an “in-between” appearance
RR-red flowers Rr-pink flowers rr-white flowers
 not as simple-- people have more complex genes than a pea plant.
 Mixing of genes to get an intermediate phenotype.—Dominant gene does not fully
express itself to mask the recessive gene—pattern of inheritance where phenotypes of
heterozygous individual is intermediate between those parents. –Genotypes are=to
phenotypes ratio.
Still use punnet squares—use different symbols
F=Trait flower colours
R= allele for red flowers
W=allele for white flowers
Red x white=pink
FR FR x FW FW
Multiple Alleles: when there’s multiple alleles. Capital letters and superscript number or letters
are used to express the different gene combinations.
E1=wild E2=Apricot E3=honey E4=white
A fly could have an allele for wild type eyes and another for white—its mate might have apricot-
coloured eyes and an allele for honey-coloured.

Phenotype Genotype Dominant to

Wild type E1E1, E1E2, E1E3, E1 E4 Apricot, honey, white
Apricot E2E2, E2 E3, E2 E4 Honey, white
Honey E3 E3, E3E4 white
white E4 E4

Co-dominance: not as simple-- people have more complex genes than a pea plant. —
 a hybrid organism shows a third phenotype-not the usual dominant one and not the
recessive one, but a third different phenotype
 with incomplete dominance we get a blending of the dominant and recessive traits so
that the third phenotype is something in the middle. (Red x white=pink)
 In co dominance the recessive and dominant traits appear together, giving two colours
in the phenotype of the hybrid organisms.
When we make punnet squares the symbols are the same as incomplete dominance.
Still use punnet squares—use different symbols
F=Trait flower colours
R= allele for red flowers
W=allele for white flowers
Red x white=red and pink spotted
FR FW x FR FW