LESSON #5:

NON NUCLEAR GENES

AND THEIR
INHERITANCE

Reporters:
Areglado, Corazon
Openiano, Trina

Prof. Antonio Bustamante Jr.

Submitted to:
The Cytoplasmic Inheritance

The majority of genetic traits are inherited from both parents and contained on the
chromosomes within the cell nucleus. That's where most genetic traits are contained. But,
there actually is another way for traits to be passed on. Extranuclear inheritance, sometimes
called cytoplasmic inheritance, occurs when genetic traits are inherited from a source outside
of the cell nucleus. Extranuclear. Outside the nucleus.
● Cytoplasmic inheritance, also known as extrachromosomal or non-nuclear inheritance,
refers to the transmission of genetic information encoded by genes located in cellular
structures outside the cell's nucleus. This genetic material is typically found in cellular
components such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
● The inheritance mechanism which is not governed by the genetic material of the
nucleus is known as non-mendelian inheritance or extra-chromosomal inheritance or
organelle inheritance

Uniparental Mode of Inheritance

CARL CORRENS (1864-1933)

● A German botanist , Carl Erich Correns is
remembered in the annals of science as one
of the three botanists who rediscovered
Mendel’s laws.
● In 1909, not long after Mendel's principles
of inheritance became well accepted,
Carl Correns noticed some strange patterns
of inheritance in four-o'clock plants,Mirabilis jalapa

The term “Mendelian Inheritance” was coined by

Correns. One exception discovered by Correns
himself is that not all traits can be freely
combined with each other, but some are coupled
with each other, i.e. inherited together (gene coupling).
 Carl Correns Experiment in Mirabilis Jalapa

The classic study of maternal inheritance was

performed by Correns on the four o'clock plant.
This plant can have either variegated (white
and green)Flower structures can develop at
different locations on the plant and the flower
color corresponds to the leaf color.
When Correns crossed the different colored
flowers from different locations on the female
plants with pollen obtained from flowers of the
three different colors, the progeny that resulted
from the cross always exhibited the color of the
leaf of the female.

If you observe the progeny you can see the seeds from green branches always gave rise to
green progeny, no matter whether the pollen was from a green, white, or variegated branch.
Similarly, flowers on white branches always produced white progeny. Flowers on the
variegated branches gave rise to green, white, and variegated progeny, in no particular
ratio.Crosses demonstrated cytoplasmic inheritance/ mitochondrial DNA Inheritance of
variegation in the four-o’clocks. The phenotypes of the offspring were determined entirely by
the maternal parent, never by the paternal parent (the source of the pollen). Innermost circle is
the female parent when crossed with pollen in the middle circle and you get offspring in the
outermost circle. Offspring's color depends on the female parent entirely. So any trait that is
encoded by the organelle DNA will be contributed by the female. In the case of the four o'clock
plant, the different colors of the leaves is a result of the presence or absence of chlorophyll in
the chloroplast, a trait that can be controlled by the chloroplast DNA. Thus, green shoots
contain chloroplasts that have chlorophyll, the chloroplasts in the white shoots contain no
chlorophyll, and the variegated shoots contain some chloroplasts with chlorophyll and some
without chlorophyll.
UNIPARENTAL INHERITANCE
● Uniparental inheritance is a special mode of inheritance in which progeny inherits
organelle genes exclusively from one parent but not the other.
● Uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial genes in humans is a result of oogamy and
degradation of paternal mitochondria in the egg, but different mechanisms have evolved
in other organisms.
The most common way that extranuclear inheritance occurs in full organisms is called
uniparental inheritance, or inheritance of extranuclear genetic information from only
one parent. In creatures that reproduce sexually, how is this possible?
● Well, the female gamete, the egg cell, is a complex cell that has organisms like
mitochondria within it. male gametes, called sperm cells do, too; however during
fertilization, the mitochondria within the sperm cells are destroyed, and only the
DNA in the nucleus makes it into the egg.
Take note that:
The fertilized egg contains genetic information from the nucleus of both egg and sperm,
but only mitochondrial DNA from the egg. This means some genetic information in the
egg mitochondria can only come from the mother and never the father. It can only come
from one parent, so it's uniparental.

BI-PARENTAL MODE OF INHERITANCE

● Is a genetic inheritance pattern where both parents contribute genetic material to their
offspring, which is then combined to create a unique DNA sequence.
● This process takes place at the time of fertilization, when the sperm and egg cell fuse
and form a single zygote. The maternal and paternal chromosomes in the zygote are
then distributed and combined to form the genetic makeup of the offspring.

Biparental Inheritance is characterized by the following principles:

1. PRINCIPLE OF SEGREGATION
● Alleles for a particular gene segregate (separate) during the formation of gametes
(sperm and egg cells). Each gamete receives only one allele from the parent.
2. PRINCIPLE OF INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT
● Different genes segregate independently of one another. The inheritance of one gene
does not affect the inheritance of another gene.
 3. PRINCIPLE OF DOMINANCE
● In a heterozygous individual (having two different alleles for a gene), one allele often
masks the expression of the other. This dominant allele is expressed, while the
recessive allele remains unexpressed.
4. PRINCIPLE OF COMPLETE DOMINANCE
● In cases of complete dominance, a heterozygous individual (with two different alleles for
a gene) exhibits the same phenotype as a homozygous dominant individual (with two
identical dominant alleles).
5. PRINCIPLE OF INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE
● In cases of incomplete dominance, the heterozygous individual displays an intermediate
phenotype, different from both homozygous individuals. None of the alleles is
completely dominant.

MITOCHONDRIAL MODE OF INHERITANCE

● Mitochondrial inheritance is a specific type of genetic inheritance that involves the

transmission of genetic information through mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is
located in the mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles in eukaryotic cells.
● Unlike nuclear genes, which are inherited from both parents, mitochondrial genes are
inherited only from the mother. If there is a mutation in a mitochondrial gene, it is
passed from a mother to all of her children; sons will not pass it on, but daughters will
pass it on to all of their children, and so on.

As a result, we share our mitochondrial DNA sequence with our mothers, brothers, sisters,
maternal grandmothers, maternal aunts and uncles, and other maternal relatives. Due to the
high mutation rates associated with mitochondrial DNA, significant variability exists in
mitochondrial DNA sequences among unrelated individuals. However, the mitochondrial DNA
sequences of maternally related individuals, such as a grandmother and her grandson or
granddaughter, are very similar and can be easily matched.

❖ Mitochondrial DNA sequence data has proved extremely useful in human rights cases,
as it is a great tool for establishing the identity of individuals who have been separated
from their families. This approach has been very successful for the following reasons
(Owens et al., 2002; Schubert, 2003):
● A person's mitochondrial DNA sequence is shared with all of his or her maternal
relatives, allowing a genetic match even with few surviving relatives.
● Mitochondrial DNA varies greatly between unrelated families, but it should be
nearly identical among closely related individuals.
● A given cell contains many more copies of its mitochondrial DNA than its nuclear
DNA, which allows researchers to more easily obtain and analyze mitochondrial
DNA samples from deceased relatives.
 WHAT IS CELL?

Cells contain DNA. Prokaryotes ( pro-carry-oats)

are small and simple and have rings of circular
DNA floating free inside the cell. Eukaryotes
(you-carry-oats) are large and more complex.
They have a nucleus , which holds strings
of linear DNA within a lipid membrane.

● Prokaryotic cells were some of the earliest life forms on earth. They first appear in the
fossil record around 4 billion years ago. Prokaryotes were around for a long, long time
before eukaryotic cells appeared around 1.8 billion years ago.
● But to get from a prokaryote to a eukaryote, the cell needed to become a lot more
complicated. Eukaryotic cells are powered by special organelles, which work a bit like
batteries. All eukaryotes have an organelle called the mitochondrion. Plastids can
harvest energy from sunlight, like a solar battery

How did the eukaryotes become so complicated? And where did these battery-like
organelles come from?

● Eukaryotic cells may have evolved when multiple cells joined together into one. They
began to live in what we call symbiotic relationships. An endosymbiont is one organism
that lives inside of another one. All eukaryotic cells, like your own, are creatures that are
made up of the parts of other creatures.

ENDOSYMBIOTIC THEORY

● Is a theory suggesting that the organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts within
the eukaryotic cell came about as a result of the early endosymbiosis between
prokaryotic endosymbionts and eukaryotic host cell.
● This theory was first proposed by biologist Lynn Margulis in the 1960s and become a
cornerstone in our understanding of the evolution of eukaryotic cells.
 ● The mitochondrion and the chloroplast are both organelles that were once free-living
cells. They were prokaryotes that ended up inside of other cells (host cells). They may
have joined the other cell by being eaten (a process called phagocytosis), or perhaps
they were parasites of that host cell.
● Rather than being digested by or killing the host cell, the inner cell survived and
together they thrived. This happened a long time ago, and over time the organelle and
the host cell have evolved together. Now one could not exist without the other.

Evidence that Supports Endosymbiotic Theory

As early as 1883, botanist Andreas Schimper was looking at the plastid organelles of plant
cells using a microscope. He watched the plastids divide and noticed something odd. The
process looked very similar to the way some free-living bacteria divided.

During the 1950s and 60s, scientists found that both mitochondria and plastids inside plant
cells had their own DNA. It was different from the rest of the plant cell DNA. When scientists
looked closer at the genes in the mitochondrial and plastid DNA, they found that the genes
were more like those from prokaryotes.
QUIZ

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Where is genetic material encoded in cytoplasmic inheritance?

A. Nucleus
B. Mitochondria and chloroplasts
C. Endoplasmic reticulum
D. Golgi apparatus
2. What is cytoplasmic inheritance also known as?
A. Nuclear Inheritance
B. Mendelian Inheritance
C. Non-Mendelian Inheritance
D. Chromosomal Inheritance
3. What term is used to describe the transmission of genetic information outside the cell's
nucleus?
A. Extrachromosomal Inheritance
B. Chromosomal Inheritance
C. Nuclear Inheritance
D. Mendelian Inheritance
4. Who is Carl Erich Correns, and what is he remembered for?
A. A physicist known for nuclear research.
B. A botanist who rediscovered Mendel's laws
C. A geneticist who discovered mitochondria
D. A chemist who isolated chloroplasts
5. In what plants did Carl Correns observe strange patterns of inheritance?
A. Rose plants
B. Sunflower plants
C. Four-o'clock plants (Mirabilis jalapa)
D. Oak plants
6. What is biparental inheritance characterized by?
A. Independent assortment
B. Uniparental contribution
C. Non-segregation
D. Complete dominance
7. When does the process of biparental inheritance occur?
A. During meiosis
B. During fertilization
C. During mitosis
D. During replication
8. What principle states that alleles for a particular gene segregate during the formation of
gametes?
A. Principle of Independent Assortment
B. Principle of Segregation
C. Principle of Dominance
D. Principle of Complete Dominance
9. In a heterozygous individual, what happens in cases of complete dominance?
A. Both alleles are expressed equally.
B. One allele masks the expression of the other.
C. The recessive allele dominates.
D. Alleles segregate independently.
10. What is the primary characteristic of incomplete dominance?
A. Alleles segregate independently.
B. Both alleles are expressed equally
C. Heterozygous individual exhibits an intermediate phenotype.
D. Complete dominance of one allele
11. What is mitochondrial inheritance?
A. Inheritance from both parents
B. Inheritance only from the father
C. Inheritance only from the mother
D. Inheritance from siblings
12. Where is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) located?
A. Nucleus
B. Endoplasmic reticulum
C. Mitochondria
D. Golgi apparatus
13. What is unique about the transmission of mitochondrial genes compared to nuclear
genes?
A. Inherited from both parents.
B. Inherited only from the father.
C. Inherited only from the mother.
D. Inherited from siblings.
14. What is the specific focus of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)?
A. Energy production
B. Protein synthesis
C. Genetic inheritance
D. Sunlight harvesting
15. How did Carl Correns contribute to the understanding of inheritance?
A. Discovered mitochondrial inheritance.
B. Rediscovered Mendel's laws
C. Developed Mendel's laws.
D. Studied cytoplasmic inheritance.
16. According to the endosymbiotic theory, what is an endosymbiont?
A. A type of cell division
B. An organelle
C. An organism living inside another
D. A form of dominance
17. Who first proposed the endosymbiotic theory in the 1960s?
A. Charles Darwin
B. Gregor Mendel
C. Lynn Margulis
D. Andreas Schimper
18. What evidence supports the endosymbiotic theory?
A. Circular DNA in eukaryotic cells
B. Similarity in cell size
C. Presence of plastids
D. Independent assortment of genes
19. What is the process of an inner cell surviving within another cell called?
A. Replication
B. Phagocytosis
C. Endosymbiosis
D. Dominance
20. Which scientist observed the plastids dividing and proposed the endosymbiotic theory in
the 1880s?
A. Lynn Margulis
B. Gregor Mendel
C. Charles Darwin
D. Andreas Schimper

II. ENUMERATION

1. List three principles that characterize biparental inheritance.

2. List the two battery-like organelles found in eukaryotic cells.
3. Name the biologist who first proposed the endosymbiotic theory in the 1960s.
4. List two characteristics that distinguish eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic cells.
5. Name two pieces of evidence that support the endosymbiotic theory.
6. List two alternative names for cytoplasmic inheritance.
7. What is another term for the inheritance mechanism not governed by the genetic
material of the nucleus?
8. List two contributions of Carl Erich Correns to the understanding of inheritance.
9. List two features that distinguish cytoplasmic inheritance from nuclear inheritance.
10. In which plants did Carl Correns observe strange patterns of inheritance?\
ANSWER KEY

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. C
6. B
7. B
8. B
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. C
13. C
14. A
15. B
16. C
17. D
18. A
19. C
20. D

II. ENUMERATION AND IDENTIFICATION

1. Principle of Segregation, Principle of Independent Assortment, Principle of Complete

Dominance
2. Nucleus and circular DNA
3. Lynn Margulis
4. Larger size and absence of a nucleus
5. Mitochondria and plastids having their own DNA.
6. Non-Mendelian and Organelle
7. Extra-chromosomal Inheritance
8. Rediscovered Mendel's laws and studied cytoplasmic inheritance.
9. Transmission through organelles and exclusive maternal inheritance
10. Four-o'clock plants (Mirabilis jalapa)