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Genetics and Variation

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45 views20 pages

Genetics and Variation

Uploaded by

ANNIEKA DUNKLEY
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ST HUGH’S HIGH SCHOOL

BIOLOGY

GRADE 11

GENETICS AND VARIATION

KEY TERMS

Chromosomes- Thin thread-like structure which carries genetic


information

Gene-Basic unit of inheritance. For example one gene controls hair


colour, blood group or gene responsible for the production of specific
antibiotics

Allele-Different forms of a gene. For example, the gene for controlling


blood group has an allele for blood group A and another allele for blood
group B

Dominant allele-This is an allele that expresses itself phenotypically. It


“masks” the recessive allele. Dominant alleles are represented by a
capital letter. For example, B
Recessive allele-This is an allele that is only expressed phenotypically
when the dominant allele is absent. This allele is represented by a lower
case letter. For example, b

Genotype-The genetic make-up of a characteristics or a collection of an


individual’s gene

Phenotype-The physical appearance of an individual.

Heterozygous-Two non-identical alleles of the same gene that controls a


single characteristic.

Homozygous-Two identical alleles of the same gene that controls a


single characteristic

Locus-Position of a gene
VARIATION

Variation- is the phenotypic difference between individuals in a species.


These differences may be due to:

● Genes inherited from parents

● Environmental factors

Discontinuous variation is one in which there are clearly defined


differences in the characteristics being focused on. Examples of
discontinuous variation include blood type
Continuous variation is one in which there is a complete range of forms
in the characteristics being focused on. Examples of continuous
variation include height, hand span and shoe size.

Environmental Variation

This type of variation is not inherited but is as a result of the


environment. This may be due to:

● Exposure to disease, for example polio

● Climate-exposure to the sun can change your skin colour

● Behaviour- persons who take good care of their skin might appear

different from someone who neglects their skin


● Quantity of food- People who do not eat much food will not

develop to their full stature

● Quality of food- If certain nutrients are missing from an

individual’s diet if will affect their development. For example, lack


of vitamin D may result in rickets.

● Exercise and activity-If someone is active or exercises regularly

they will have a more muscular physique.

Causes of Genetic Variation

● Crossing Over

● Random Assortment

● Mutation
NB. Check PowerPoint on Cell Division for the explanation of
crossing over and random assortment.

Mutation
A mutation is a change that occurs in the DNA sequence/make- up of an
organism. Mutation results in variation among species and can be caused
by environmental factors such as UV light, X-Rays, radiation and
chemical exposure.
Mutation can occur at a chromosomal level or gene level.

⮚ Chromosomal mutation:

Having extra copies or a fewer amount of chromosome (something may


have went wrong during anaphase of cell division). Egs. Down’s
Syndrome is a condition in which an extra copy of chromosome 21 is
inherited which causes the individuals diploid number to be 47 instead
of 46.
⮚ Gene mutation:

A permanent change in the sequence of DNA which codes for specific


features. Egs. “Albinism is caused by a mutation in a gene called
tyrosinase. The tyrosinase protein is needed to make pigment. One
normal tyrosinase gene makes enough protein to make pigment, so to be
albino an organism must have two mutant tyrosinase genes.”

Sickle cell Anemia


This is as a result of gene mutation. Red blood cells need haemoglobin,
the red pigment to transport the oxygen around the body. The production
of normal haemoglobin is controlled by a gene (H) with two alleles, H N
and HS. HN controls the production of normal haemoglobin. Mutation
causes the allele HS to be formed. The HS reduces the ability of the
haemoglobin to carry oxygen. Cells with abnormal haemoglobin result
in the red blood cells being sickled shaped. People can have three
genotype:
HNHN-produce normal haemoglobin
HSHS -produce red blood cells with abnormal haemoglobin
HNHS -produce some red blood cells with normal and abnormal
haemoglobin

Diagram of sickled shaped red blood cells


Advantages of genetic variation

● Organisms that reproduce sexually produce variation. This is


important because in many cases organisms compete for food and
space. An organism that is able to adapt to another environment-
because it is different from other offsprings- will be able to survive
in a different environment.

● Organisms that are different in appearance are also able to protect


themselves from predators that could feed on them. They do this
by camouflaging themselves. Which of the butterflies below could
be found in a darker environment? How is that beneficial to the
butterfly?

● Pathogens over time can become resistant to antibiotics due to


mutation. As the bacteria, for example, continue to be exposed to
the antibiotic some bacteria will develop resistance to it. The
bacteria that cannot resist the antibiotics will die out leaving the
bacteria that can resist the antibiotics.

● Someone who has sickle cell trait is resistant to malaria because


the plasmodium that causes malaria finds it difficult to infect red
blood cells with abnormal haemoglobin.
TEST CROSS
1. Incomplete dominance- This occurs when there is a blending or
combination of expression of both alleles in the heterozygous
form. If allele R produces red flowers and W produces white
flowers then RW would produce pink flowers as shown below

2. Co-dominance- This occurs when there is an expression of both


alleles in the heterozygous genotype.

Diagrams of co-dominance in plants and animals

Another example of co-dominance is blood groups in humans. Blood


group is controlled by three alleles, A,B and O. A and B are equally
dominant to each other and both are dominant to O. Two alleles are
present in a cell as shown below
Sex- linked characteristics
Each chromosome carries many genes. Genes which are carried on the
same chromosomes are said to be linked because they are inherited
together. Genes on the sex chromosomes X and Y are said to be sex
linked because the traits they carry genes that are inherited along with
the sex of the individual. The X and Y chromosomes are not identical in
structure so there is a portion of the X chromosome which carries alleles
for which there is no corresponding portion on the Y chromosome.
Traits controlled by these alleles are called sex linked traits.
Genetic counselling
Genetic counselling is the process of advising individuals and families
affected by or at risk of genetic disorders to help them understand and
adapt to the medical, psychological implications of the genetic disease.
For instance if a couple has had a child with sickle anaemia and they
want to know the chances of another child of theirs having this condition
the couple can go to a genetic counsellor.
CLASS ACTIVITY

1. State whether the allele below is homozygous dominant or


recessive or heterozygous for the trait of roll tongue. State whether
the person will be able to roll tongue:

RR-

rR-

rr-

2. Cross between albino female and heterozygous male. Use the


punnett square below to fill in the information

Aa Aa
aa aa

3. Predict the possible combination alleles that a child can get if their
parents have the following genotypes for roll tongue ability: r- roll
tongue ability
Mother’s genotype: Rr
Father’s genotype: rr
Possible combination for offspring Rr, rr, rr,Rr
4. Dane is unable to roll his tongue but one of his parents can. State
the genotypes for Dane’s parents and his genotype.

5. If a- albino and A- normal skin pigmentation complete the


following
Genotype Phenotype
Aa
AA
aa

6. Students will be given notes to include details of colour blindness


as an example of sex linked disease.

Complete the following table

Genotype Phenotype
XNXN
XNXn Woman who is a carrier
XNY
XnY
Woman with red-green colour
blindness
Draw a punnet square to show cross between: (include ratio)
Male: XnY (colour blind)
Female: XNXn (not colour blind)

7. The inheritance of haemophilia is caused by a recessive allele’h’on


the X chromosome. This inheritance pattern is shown in the
pedigree chart below. State the genotypes of the P (parent
generation)

Complete the table below:


Genotype Phenotype
Woman with normal blood
XHXh Woman with normal
blood(heterozygous/carrier)
Woman who Dies before birth
Man with normal blood
XhY Man with hemophilia

You ladies got this!!!

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