I.

Introduction
Gregor Mendel initially studied transmission genetics using garden peas (Pisum
sativum). Humans, though, are a more complex organism vis-a-vis peas and require
a much more intricate procedure than the simple crosses by Mendel. Special
methods must, thus, be utilized to analyze inheritance pattern in humans. The family
pedigree, a modification of the family tree, is a standard method of genetic analysis
in humans. The objective of this exercise is to use a family pedigree to extrapolate
the possible mode of inheritance (i.e. heterozygous or homozygous) of an individual
for a certain trait based on the presence and/or absence of the same trait in proximal
relatives (e.g. siblings and cousins). Additionally, it aims to calculate the probabilities
of a theoretical offspring between 2 assumed parents in the class of having each of
16 individual traits and multiple traits (e.g. 2, 3, 4, and 5) at the same time.

II.

Materials and Methods

Eight individual family pedigrees were constructed for each of eight particular
traits, namely: ear lobe attachment, tongue-rolling, handedness, hair smoothness,
hairline shape, cleft chin presence, eyebrow shape and dimple presence. The
phenotypes of immediate family members were observed. Based on the phenotypes
of each individual in the pedigree, the possible genotypes (i.e. heterozygous,
homozygous dominant or homozygous recessive) were subsequently determined.
Then, a marriage was assumed between two individuals in class and the
probabilities were calculated for a theoretical offspring inheriting 16 individual traits
from the two assumed parents. The probabilities of that offspring having 2, 3, 4 and 5
of these traits, at the same time, were also calculated. The forked-line method was
utilized to derive these probabilities.

III.

Results and Discussions

The genotypes of each individual in the pedigree were determined using the
observed phenotypes. Each of the eight pedigrees for the eight traits showed unique
modes of inheritance. This speaks volumes of the Law of Independent Assortment.
This law says that different traits are inherited independently of each other. This
means, for example, that the inheritance of hair smoothness will not affect the
inheritance of hairline shape. The phenotype, and hence the genotype of individuals
in a certain generation will, most of the time, not be the same across the board.
Although, when the inheritance of a trait is consistent among siblings from their
parents, it is most likely that the parents, and consequently the offspring are
homozygous for that trait. Meanwhile, if the phenotype is not consistent throughout
the sibship line or if the parents both possess a certain trait but an offspring
possesses the opposite trait, there is a high probability that the parents are
heterozygous for that trait. To make sure even more of what genotype to assign for
each individual in a generation, one should consider going back one more
generation, where the grandparents are. The pedigree analysis can not only
extrapolate the mode of inheritance of an individual for a certain trait, but it can also
trace from which ancestor a certain disease come from.

It is important to note, though, that majority of the traits analyzed were

Mendelian, meaning that there is a clear dominance/recessivity between the two
possible alleles for a trait. However, the handedness trait, upon the analysis of the
pedigree and some further research was discovered to be a non-Mendelian trait. Out
of all the individuals in the pedigrees, which covers three generations, only one, me,
is left-handed. Handedness has a special inheritance pattern. When both parents are
right-handed, there is only a one out of ten chance that an offspring might be lefthanded. If both parents are left-handed, there is only a four out of ten chance that an
offspring might be left-handed. This speaks volumes of the concepts that go beyond
Mendelian genetics, which explores the more intricate traits that are passed on from
generation to generation.
Meanwhile, the probabilities of trait inheritance of the hypothetical offspring
yielded varying ratios across the board, especially when it comes to multiple
inheritance. This, again, speaks volumes of the Law of Independent Assortment.
Although, some ratios exhibited common iterating patterns, as would be expected for
Mendelian traits.
IV.

Conclusion
Through the creation and subsequent analysis of the family pedigree and the
inheritance probability calculation of traits in a theoretical offspring, the postulates of
Gregor Mendel were accentuated. Being that the traits analyzed were Mendelian,
dominance/recessivity was demonstrated by the traits. The individual traits are
inherited independently of each other as evidenced by the varying modes of
inheritance in each of the pedigrees per trait and the different ratios of inheritance
probability per trait for the theoretical offspring. Some non-Mendelian trait were also
explored and discovered to have much more complex modes of inheritance vis--vis
Mendelian traits.

V.

List of References
Klug WS, Cummings MR, Spencer CA, Palladino MA 2014. Essentials of
Genetics. Pearson New International Edition. Harlow, Essex, England:
Pearson Education. pp. 61-62

Weber B. Being left-handed is not 'in the genes,' study shows. Medical News
Today [Internet]. 2013 Oct 7 [cited 2016 Feb 29]. Available from:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267047.php