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Biology 120 Notes (Part 19) Continuing the Discussion of Genetic Disorders

Complex Patterns of Inheritance

  • ==Modern genetics== has expanded the range of ==Mendelian genetics==.

  • Mendelian genetics is, "the study of the pattern of segregation of phenotypes under the control of genetic ==loci== taken one at a time.

  • Loci is "a plural of the word "locus" and "locus" is the position of a chromosome where a particular genetic trait presides." Sometimes used to describe multiple genes that affect the same function."

  • (The link for the information of the words “loci” and “locus” are attached here: https://en.mimi.hu/biology/loci.html#:~:text=Locus%20%28pl.%20loci%20%29%3A%20The%20position%20on%20a,mean%20regions%20of%20DNA%20that%20are%20express%20ed. )

    (The link for the information obtained on the term “mendelian genetics” is attached here: https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mendelian+genetics )

  • Most patterns of inheritance are more complex than previously thought.

  • ==There are several variations of Mendelian genetics which include: Multiple alleles, Codominance, Incomplete Dominance, Pleiotropy, Polygenetic Inheritance, and X-Linked Inheritance.==

    Multiple Alleles

  • In explaining ==multiple alleles==, it describes how several alleles for a given trait exist in a population.

  • Though many alleles are available, each person will only possess two.

  • For example, blood type.

  • There are three possible allele combinations: ==IA (A antigen is on the red blood cells), IB (B antigen is on the red blood cells), and i (there are neither A nor B antigens on the red blood cells).==

  • There are also multiple blood type alleles.

  • For the ==A phenotype==, the ==genotype can be IAIA or IBi==.

  • For the ==B phenotype==, the ==genotype can be either be IBIB or IBi==.

  • For the ==AB phenotype==, the ==genotype can only be IAIB==.

  • For the ==O phenotype==, the ==genotype can only be ii==.

Codominance

  • ==Codominance== occurs when two dominant alleles are equally expressed.
  • Some examples include AB blood type, roan cattle and horses, and some flower cultivars.

Incomplete Dominance

  • ==Incomplete Dominance== occurs when the heterozygous phenotype is intermediate between homozygous dominant and recessive phenotypes.
  • Some examples include flower color in some species and Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) in humans.

Pleiotropy

  • ==Pleiotropy== occurs when a single mutant gene affects two or more distinct traits.
  • Some examples include Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell -- severe anemia, poor circulation, pain, high fever, spleen damage, paralysis.

Polygenic Inheritance

  • ==Polygenic Inheritance== occurs when a trait is governed by two or more sets of alleles, i.e., AaBbCc.
  • ==Alleles== can be on different chromosomes.
  • Some examples include height, skin color, hair color, and eye color.

X-Linked Inheritance

  • ==X-Linked Inheritance== refers to genes that are located on the x chromosome but have nothing to do with gender.
  • ==X-linked recessive disorders== affect males disproportionality.
  • Some examples include color blindness, ==hemophilia== (causes internal bleeding), and ==Muscular Dystrophy== (the wasting away of muscles).