Reference: Crash Course Biology #9 containing information that

HEREDITY determines a trait.

- Heredity is the process through

which parents pass traits to their
offspring via genes.
* Genes are made up of DNA and
carry the instructions for traits like
eye color, hair type, and even
susceptibility to certain diseases.
❖ Polygenic Traits (many genes) -
Historical Antecedents:
different genes working together to
● Aristotle’s Point (2000 years ago):
manifest physical traits.
“We’re each a mixture of our parents’ traits,
❖ Pleiotropic Genes - single gene that
with the father supplying the life force while
influences how multiple unrelated
the mother supplying the building blocks.”
traits are going to be expressed.
● Gregor Mendel (1850’s)
❖ Mendelian Trait - trait determined
He experimented on Pea Plants and
by a single gene with two alleles, one
introduced Classical Genetics, incorporating
inherited from each parent.
his Mendelian principle.
❖ Alleles - different versions of the
CLASSICAL GENETICS
same gene that can exist at a specific
- Concerned with the transmission of
position on a chromosome.
genetic traits from one generation to
❖ Dominance - the relationship
another via reproduction.
between alleles in which one allele
Mendelian Genetics Key Concepts:
masks or totally suppresses the
❖ Somatic Cells - any cells that are not
expression of another allele.
involved in reproduction
➢ Dominant allele: Expresses
➢ These cells are diploid
its trait even if only one copy
❖ Germ Cells - sex cells or gametes
is present. (e.g. B)
(sperm cells for male, egg cells for
➢ Recessive allele: Expresses
female)
its trait only when both
➢ These cells are haploid
alleles are recessive. (e.g. b)
➔ Diploid - there are two (2) sets of
❖ Genotype - the actual genetic
chromosomes, one (1) inherited from
makeup of an organism (e.g., BB,
each of the parent.
Bb, or bb for a particular trait).
➔ Haploid - there is only one (1) set of
➢ Homozygous - both alleles
chromosomes.
inherited for a gene are the
➔ Polyploid - more than two (2) sets of
same (e.g., BB or bb).
chromosomes.
➢ Heterozygous - the two
❖ Chromosomes - the form our DNA
alleles inherited are different
takes.
(e.g., Bb). In heterozygous
❖ Gene - a section of DNA in a
individuals, the dominant
specific location on a chromosome
 allele typically determines In addition: Earwax and Armpit sweat are
the phenotype. produced by the same type of gland making
❖ Phenotype - physical expression of this gene an example of Pleiotropic Gene.
that genotype. For instance, if "B" is SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE
dominant for brown eyes and "b" is ❖ Autosomes (non-sex chromosome)
recessive for blue eyes, then a These are chromosomes that
genotype of BB or Bb will result in a do not determine the sex of an
brown-eyed phenotype. individual. Humans have 22 pairs of
❖ Punnett Square by Reginald C. autosomes (44 in total), which carry
Punnett - a diagram used to genes that govern the development
determine the phenotype or outcome of most traits and body functions.
of cross-breeding genes. ❖ Sex-chromosome
Situational Application: These determine the
Mom has wet earwax while dad has biological sex of an individual.
dry earwax. By Mendelian Trait, identify Humans have one pair of sex
the phenotype outcome of the offspring chromosomes—XX for females and
using a Punnett Square. XY for males. The X and Y
Mom chromosomes carry genes related to
Genotype: Ww (Heterozygous, 1 sexual development and some other
dominant, 1 recessive) traits.
● W - wet ➢ Example: Baldness
● w - dry Male pattern baldness
Phenotype: Wet earwax (by dominance, is influenced by a gene
dominant allele expresses its trait.) located on the X
Dad chromosome. A male with
Genotype: ww (Homozygous, 2 recessive) the baldness allele will
● w - dry express the trait because he
● w - dry lacks a second X
Phenotype: Dry earwax (by dominance, chromosome to
trait is expressed since both alleles are counterbalance it. Females,
recessive.) however, must inherit two
Punnett Square copies of this allele (one on
Cross-Breed Dry Ew each X chromosome) to show
Wet & Dry Ew the same trait, making it less
w w
common in females.
Wet W Ww Ww
Ew
w ww ww

Results:
Wet Earwax (Ww): 50%
Dry Earwax (ww): 50%