CHARACTERISTCS AND

INHERITANCE
Inheritance
Inheritance is the transfer of
characteristics from parents to
their offspring.
(hair, eye colour)
Father of Genetics
Gregor Mendel (1822 1868)
Austrian Monk
Experimented with pea plants
Determined easily observed
traits:
Seed shape smooth or wrinkled
Flower colour red or white
YouTube Clip:
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h?v=Mehz7tCxjSE
Alleles
Different forms of the same gene (eg.
Round or wrinkled seed) are called the
alleles for that gene
Alleles
Gene Alleles
Eye colour
- Blue - Hazel
- Brown - Green
Hair colour - Brown - Blonde
- Black - Red
Ear Lobes - Free - Attached
Dominant and Recessive Genes
An allele can be either dominant or
recessive gene.
The dominant gene will mask the effect
of the recessive gene.

For example, Round seeds (R) are
dominant to wrinkled seeds (r)
Dominant and Recessive Genes
Round seeds (R) are dominant to wrinkled
seeds (r)

We always represent dominant alleles
with a capital letter
Recessive genes are represented with a
lower case letter.
Alleles - Homozygous
If an organism has the same allele from each
parent then we say it is Homozygous (ie. A
Purebreed)

The gene for homozygous round seeds is

_________
The gene for homozygous wrinkled seeds is

_________


Allele - Heterozygous
If an organism has a different allele from
each parent then we say it is Heterozygous
(ie. Hybrid)

The gene for heterozygous round seeds is

_________

Punnet Squares
Punnet squares are used to show the
different types of alleles each parent has for
the same gene.
When we do this, we can determine what
probability the offspring has of inheriting
certain traits from their parents (e.g. hair
colour)
Harry Potter Genetics

INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE
INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE this occurs
when neither allele is dominant.
The result is the blending of the two
alleles.
For example:
One parent has straight hair (SS)
The other parent has curly hair (CC)
Then all the children have wavy hair (SC)

CO-DOMINANCE
CO-DOMINANCE this is where both
alleles are dominant and expressed in the
phenotype
For example, Blood grouping (A, B, AB,
O)
Type AB blood has characteristics of both
A and B blood
Both A and B are dominant to O
O blood group will only occur in a
homozygous individual.
SEX LINKAGE
Some genes are found on the x-chromosome
and not on the Y chromosome.
(Y chromosome is shorter)
For example, red-green colour blindness is
caused by a sex-linked, recessive gene.
Female (XNXn) normal vision
Male (XnY) colour blind