single gene inheritance patterns

what is all of the genetics based on

heritable variants

what are heritable variants

individuals who inherit a trait that expresses differently from some stand form

what is the first step in analyzing a trait through gene discovery

Amass mutants affecting the trait of interest

what is the 2nd step in analyzing a trait through gene discovery

cross mutant individuals to wild-type individuals to see if their descendants show ratios of wild-type-to-mutant phenotypes that are characteristic of single-gene inheritance

what is the 3rd step in analyzing a trait through gene discovery

deduce the functions of the gene at the molecular level

what is the 4th step in analyzing a trait through gene discovery

deduce how the gene interacts with other genes to produce the trait in question

what are wild type traits

the most common form of any trait of an organism which is found “in the wild” or in nature

what are mutant traits

heritable variants observed in a species that differ from wild type

how to test for single-gene inheritance

mate individuals showing the mutant phenotype with wild-type individuals, and then analyze the first and second generations of descendants