Pedigree analysis: Practice problems with answers

May 9, 2018 admin Leave a comment

Here you will find some pedigree analysis questions with

answers. Just go through it.

Q) For the following pedigrees, give the most likely mode

of inheritance.

Answer: Y linked trait

Major features of the trait:

 Y chromosome is present only in males. So Y linked

genes only transmitted from father to son, never from
father to daughter.

 Y-linked inheritance is also known as holandric

inheritance.

 In case of Y linked traits, skipping of generation is

absent.

 If the father is affected, all of his sons will be

affected.
 Answer: X linked recessive trait

Major features of the trait:

 More males than females are affected.

(These traits appear more frequently in males. Reason:

males need to inherit only a single copy of the allele to
show the trait, whereas females must inherit both copies
of the allele (one from each parent) to show the trait)

 This mode of inheritance shows skipping of

generation. Unaffected (carriers) mothers can have
affected son.

 Father to son transmission never possible

 All daughters of an affected fathers is found to be

carriers.

Answer: Autosomal dominant trait

 Major features of the trait:

 Both sexes show the disease with equal frequency.

 Both sexes can pass these traits to their offspring.

 no skipping of generation observed

 Affected offspring should have an affected parent

 Unaffected parents never pass the trait to offspring

Answer: Autosomal recessive trait

Major features of the trait:

 Occurs in both sexes with equal frequency.

 Trait usually skip generations

 Affected offspring are usually born to normal

parents.

 When both parents are heterozygous,

approximately ¼ of the offspring will have the trait.

 Consanguine marriages increase the chance of this

trait

 Disease occurs only when a person inherits two

alleles for the trait, one from each parent


Answer: Autosomal recessive trait