Heredity and Genetics

“WHY WE LOOK THE WAY WE DO”

What is Heredity?

 Heredity = the passing on of traits from one

generation to the next.
What is a Trait?

A trait is a specific characteristic that is unique.

Traits affect the way we look
Traits affect how our bodies function
Traits are inherited
 Examples are hair color, eye color, handedness, etc.
How Do We Keep Track of
Traits?
 We use a pedigree chart to keep track of
how traits are passed on from generation
to generation.
What is a Pedigree?

A pedigree is a diagram that shows

the history of a trait as it is
passed from one generation to
the next.
Pedigrees indicate patterns
Pedigrees identify carriers of genetic
disorders
Pedigrees are useful for genetic
counseling
 Example: a pedigree is like a family tree
for one trait.
 Rules For Making A Pedigree
 Females are represented by circles
 Males are represented by squares
 Mother/Father couples are connected by a line
 Offspring are shown oldest on the left to youngest
on the right
 Half-shaded circle represents a female carrier for
the trait
 Half-shaded square represents a male carrier for
the trait
 Full-shaded circle represents a female with the trait
 Full-shaded square represents a male with the trait
What is Mendelian
Genetics?
 Gregor Mendel was an Augustinian monk who
lived in the late 19th century and, through
studying peas, developed the basis for the
science of Genetics still used today.
What Kinds of Traits Are
There?

 Traits are either Dominant or Recessive.

Dominant Trait

A dominant trait is a trait that is always

expressed,
expressed or shown.
 Examples are brown hair, brown eyes, right
handed
Recessive Trait

A recessive trait is a trait that is covered up or

seems to disappear.
 Examples are blonde hair, blue eyes, left handed
 Where Do Traits Come
From?

Factors that make up an individual come from both parents.

The trait information is passed on from generation to generation
in the form of genes.
Where Do Genes Come
From?
 An individual needs 2 genes for each trait – one gene from
each parent.
 This gene pair is called an allele.
allele
 One gene comes from the sperm cell (from the Father)
 One gene comes from the egg cell (from the Mother)
How Do Genes Get Their
Information?

A chromosome is a structure in the cell that contains the

genetic information.
 This information is passed on from one generation to the
next generation.
 Gene Representation
How Do We Write Our Genetics?

 The name of the dominant trait determines what

letter is used to represent the gene.
 Use a capital of the first letter of the dominant trait
to represent the dominant gene.
 Use a small version of the first letter of the
dominant trait for the recessive gene.
Example: Right-handedness is the dominant trait so
use R for the dominant gene and use r for the
recessive gene for Left-handedness.
Example 2: Tall is the dominant trait so we use T
and we use t for the recessive gene for Short.
How Are Genes Expressed?
Traits are how our genes show and since traits are formed from
two genes, they are described by the combination of genes
that make the pair.
Traits are described as either:
 homogeneous, (pure)
 heterogeneous, (mixed)
 Homozygous = Pure
(Homogeneous)
 PureDominant: the individual only has
genes for the dominant trait.
 Example: TT = a pure tall individual has only
tall (T) genes.

 PureRecessive: the individual only has

genes for the recessive trait.
 Example: tt = a pure short individual has only
short (t) genes.
Heterozygous = Mixed
(Heterogeneous)
A heterozygous individual has one dominant
gene and one recessive gene for a trait. The
result is the dominant gene is the one
expressed, or shown.
 Example: Tt = a heterozygote tall individual has
both tall (T) and short (t) genes but looks tall.
How Do We Predict
Offspring?

A Punnett Square is a way to show the possible

combinations of genes that offspring of parents could
have.
Punnett Square
What is Phenotype?

Phenotype is the way that we look or appear.

 Example: brown eyes, blonde hair, tall
 What is Genotype?

Genotype:
Genotype is the genetic make up for a trait.
Example: Homozygous brown; BB = pure brown: (both genes are
the same)
 Trait: Handedness Trait: Height
Right-handed Parents Tall Parents
(RR)x(Rr) (Tt)x(Tt)
R R T t

R RR RR T TT Tt
r Rr Rr t tT tt
Results:
Phenotypes: 100% Right handed 75% Tall
25% Short
Genotypes: 50% RR, homozygous right 25% TT, homozygous tall
50% Rr, heterozygous right 50% Tt, heterozygous tall
0% rr, homozygous left 25% tt, homozygous short
 Trait: Eyecolor Trait: Handedness
Blue-eyed Pure Right and
Parents (bb)x(bb) Pure Left handed
Parents (RR)x(rr)

b b R R
b bb bb r Rr Rr
b bb bb r Rr Rr

Results:
Phenotypes: 100% Blue-eyed 100% Right-handed
Genotypes: 100% bb, homozygous blue100% Rr, heterozygous
right-handed
What Is Incomplete
Dominance?
 Incomplete dominance is when neither gene that
determines a trait dominates, so the recessive trait is not
fully hidden.
 The result is a “mixed” genetic trait that is neither dominant
nor recessive.
 Example: Red (RR)
RR x White (WW)
WW flowers yield Pink (RW)
RW
How Do Genes Control Traits?
Deoxyriboneucleic Acid
DNA is the “instruction code” that the genes use to form
traits.
 DNA is long threads of material found in all cells.
 DNA contains the “master code” that instructs all cells in their
daily jobs.
Genes are short pieces of DNA that make up our chromosomes.
Each piece of DNA that is related to a gene makes up one trait.
Structure of DNA

DNA looks like a twisted “ladder” made of chemical

compounds called bases.
Models of DNA
How Bases Make Up DNA

 There are 4 types of bases in DNA: Adenine, Guanine,

Cytosine and Thymine.
These bases fit together like puzzle
pieces
Adenine with Thymine
Cytosine with Guanine
 But What ARE Genes?
 Genes are pieces of DNA that make up a trait
 Different genes consist of different arrangements of
the Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine bases.
 These bases can be arranged to form different
proteins (chemical messages)
 These messages control different traits (some
determine how we look, some determine how we
feel and function).
 There are many millions of possible combinations of
these 4 bases – this accounts for the differences,
and similarities, between life forms on earth.
Traits from Proteins

 All characteristics are affected by the DNA in

the cells of the individual organism.
 These characteristics are called traits.
traits Traits
depend on the types of proteins that the 4
bases (A,C,G,T) make up.
 How Do We Look The Way We Do?

 Parents pass on copies of their DNA to their

offspring.
 TheDNA from each parent combines to form
the DNA of the offspring.
 How the offspring develops depends on the
instructions coded in the DNA donated by
both parents.
 Offspring are similar to parents, but
different due to the many possible
combinations of the 4 bases.
 Every individual is unique.
How Can We Use
Genetics?

 To predict looks of offspring

 To predict risks of diseases/defects
 …
Genetics Help Predict
Diseases
 Sickle-cell Anemia is a
genetically inherited disease where
red blood cells are misshaped.
 Red blood cell shape is an inherited
trait.
 Sickle-cell shape vs Normal cell shape
 Sickle-cell
anemia is cause by
incomplete dominance.
Advances in Genetics
 We have an increased understanding of
certain diseases that are inherited.
 Wehave increased knowledge of many
health conditions (treatment, prevention,
and cure).
 Example:Down Syndrome is caused by an extra
chromosome.