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1st Semester, Lesson 7

Gene Linkage and

Recombination
Genetics with Laboratory
Department of Teacher Education – Science Cluster
 Learning Competencies DDARico
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Explain how genes are linked with each other;

2. Discuss how Morgan concluded the formation of
recombinants;
3. Discuss Sturtevant’s basis of genetic mapping and its
relation to Morgan’s experiments; and
4. Predict the gene placement in chromosomes using gene
mapping.
 Review DDARico

▪ Genes
▪ Homologous
chromosomes
▪ Loci
▪ Alleles
▪ Crossing over
▪ Law of independent
assortment
o the alleles of two (or more) different genes get
sorted into gametes independently of one another
 If genes on different chromosomes
assort independently because
nonhomologous chromosomes align
independently on the spindle during
meiosis I, how do genes on the same
chromosome assort?
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 Important Terms DDARico

▪ Linkage - closeness of genes

▪ Crossing over – event during prophase I that results in

the reshuffling of genes

▪ Recombination – a process by which pieces of DNA

are broken and recombined to produce new
combinations of alleles (recombinants)
 Genes Linked on the Same Chromosome
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Segregate Together

Independent assortment: Linkage: Two genes on a Linkage: Two genes on a

Two genes on two different single pair of homologs; single pair of homologs;
homologous pairs of no exchange occurs exchange occurs between
chromosomes two non-sister chromatids
 Genetic Linkage DDARico

▪ In theory, two randomly selected genes can be so close

to each other that crossover events are too infrequent
to be detected easily.

▪ If a small but distinct distance separates two genes, few

recombinant and many parental gametes will be formed.

▪ As the distance between the two genes increases, the

proportion of recombinant gametes increases and that of
the parental gametes decreases.
Genetic Linkage DDARico
 Linkage Ratio DDARico

▪ If complete linkage exists between two genes because of

their close proximity, and organisms heterozygous at
both loci are mated, a unique F2 phenotypic ratio results,
which we designate the linkage ratio.

▪ Example in Drosophilia melanogaster

hv Heavy wing vein (rec., mutant)
bw Brown eye (rec., mutant)
hv+ Wild-type thin wing veins (dom., normal)
bw+ Wild-type red eyes (dom., normal)
Linkage Ratio DDARico
 Genetic Mapping DDARico

Thomas Morgan studied Drosophilia facing with two questions:

1. What was the source of gene separation?
o His experiments showed that genes are separated or having
genetic exchange because of chiasmata
2. Why did the frequency of the apparent separation vary
depending on the genes being studied?
o The closer two genes are, the less likely a genetic exchange
will occur between them.
o Proposed the term crossing over (physical exchange leading
to recombination)
Genetic Mapping DDARico
 Genetic Mapping DDARico

▪ Alfred Sturtevant (Morgan’s student) was the first to realize that

his mentor’s proposal could be used to map the sequence of
linked genes
▪ He constructed a chromosome map of the three genes on the X
chromosome
▪ 1 map unit (mu) = 1% recombination between two genes
o In honor of Morgan’s work, mu are often referred to as centi-
Morgans (cM)
Each number represents
recombination frequencies or
percentage of recombinant
offspring produced
Crossover frequency between linked
genes during gamete formation is
proportional to the distance between
genes, providing the experimental
basis for mapping the location of
genes relative to one another along
the chromosome.
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 Genetic Mapping DDARico

Linked Parentals > Linked genes must be sufficiently close

genes recombinants together on the same chromosome so
(RF < 50%) that their alleles do not assort
independently.
Unlinked Parentals = Occurs either when two genes are on
genes recombinants different chromosomes or when they
(RF = or < 50%) are sufficiently far apart on the same
chromosome that at least one crossover
occurs between them in every meiosis
(independent assortment)
# 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈
𝑹𝑭 =
𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 # 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈
Genetic Mapping DDARico
 Let’s Try This! #1 DDARico

Identify the gene map of the following genes and

recombination:
vg – vestigial gene
b – black coloration
cn – cinnabar eye color
Gene combination Recombination frequency
vg – b 17%
vg – cn 8%
cn - b 9%

vg – cn – b
 Let’s Try This! #2 DDARico

The genes dumpy wings (dp), clot eyes (cl), and apterous
wings (ap) are linked on chromosome II of Drosophila. In a
series of two-point mapping crosses, the genetic distances
shown below were determined. What is the sequence of the
three genes?
Gene combination Recombination frequency (%)
dp-ap 42
dp-cl 3
ap-cl 39
dp – cl – ap
 Let’s Try This! #3 DDARico

Identify the gene map of the following genes and

recombination:
Gene combination Recombination frequency (%)
A–B 15
B–C 45
B–D 40
A-D 25

B–A–D–C
 Let’s Try This! #4 DDARico

Identify the gene map of the following genes and

recombination:
Gene combination Recombination frequency (%)
P–Q 5
P–R 8
P–S 12
Q-R 13
Q-S 17

Q–P–R–S
 Let’s Try This! #5 DDARico

In 1911, Thomas Hunt Morgan collected the following crossover gene

frequencies while studying Drosophila Bar-shaped eyes ore indicated by
the B allele, and carnation eyes are indicated by the allele C. Fused veins
on wings (A) and scalloped wings (S) are located on the same
chromosomes. What is the sequence of the four genes?
Gene combination Recombination frequency
A–B 2.5%
A–C 3.0%
B–C 5.5%
B–S 5.5%
A–S 8.0%
C–S 11.0%
 Let’s Try This! #5 DDARico

In 1911, Thomas Hunt Morgan collected the following crossover gene

frequencies while studying Drosophila Bar-shaped eyes ore indicated by
the B allele, and carnation eyes are indicated by the allele C. Fused veins
on wings (A) and scalloped wings (S) are located on the same
chromosomes. What is the sequence of the four genes?

C – 3 – A – 2.5 – B – 5.5 – S
 Assignment #1 (12 pts) DDARico

B= brown eyes, b = blue eyes F = free ears, f = attached ears

C= normal chin, c= cleft chin W = widow's peak, w = straight hairline
Genes b, c, f, and w are all on the same chromosome. The majority of
Individuals with blue eyes have. attached earlobes, a cleft in their
chin, and a straight hairline. However, 12% of people with blue eyes
and a straight hairline have free ears and a normal chin. Only 3% of
blue eyes people have free ears, a normal chin, and a widow's peak.
Yet 17% of people with blue eyes have a normal chin with their ears
attached and a straight hairline. a) Identify the genotypes of each
described RF. b) Starting with gene B, what is the order of these
genes?
References:
Books:
Klug, W. S., Cummings, M. R., Spencer, C. A., and Palladino, M. A. (2016). Essentials of genetics, 9th
edition. Philippine edition by Pearson Education South Asia PTE. LTD.
Natividad, C. (2020). Genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, ecology, and evolution. Delve
Publishing.

e-books:
Blalock, E., Clark, M. and Osborn-Ward, J. L. (2023). Genetics laboratory manual. Creative
Commons, CA, USA.
Hardin, J., and Lodolce, J. P. (2022). Becker’s world of the cell (10th edition). Pearson Education
Limited. eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-292-42663-1
Klug, W. S., Cumming, M. R., Spencer, C. A., Palladino, M. A., Killian, D. (2020). Essentials of
genetics, 10th edition. Pearson Education.
Goldberg, M. L. and Fischer, J. A. (2024). Genetics from genes to genomes, 8th edition. New York,
McGraw Hill LLC.
Mhiret, W. (2019). Laboratory manual for principles of genetics (Biol.3061). Lap Lambert Academic
Publishing. DDARico