Monohybrid cross

Monohybrid inheritance involves inheritance of one characteristic and contrasting

traits controlled by a gene.
Seven characteristics studied by Mendel

Monohybrid cross carried out by Mendel

Terms Related to Inheritance
• Genes and alleles
• Phenotypes and genotrypes
• Characterictics and traits
• Dominant alleles and recessive alelles
• dominant traits and recessive traits
• Homozygotes and heterozygotes
• Parental generations and filial generations
• Purebreeds and hybrids

Relationship among a few important terms in genetics

Monohybrid schematic for flower colour

Monohybrid cross using Punnett square

Summary of Mendel monohybrid experiment

A characteristic inherited from a parent to the next generation is determined by a

genetic factor, which is now known as gene.

A trait is controlled by a pair of genetic factor known as allele.

A pair of alleles segregates (separates) randomly during formation of gametes.

Only one allele from the pair is found in a single gamete.

During fertilisation, a zygote formed possesses two alleles (one allele from each
parent) for a specific characteristic.

Fertilisation is random. Genotypic combination which is homozygous dominant

shows dominant trait whereas, homozygous recessive shows recessive trait.
Heterozygous genotype (combination of one dominant allele and one recessive
allele) shows dominant trait.
1. Dihybrid cross is a genetic cross between two parents that involves inheritance
of two different characteristics.
2. Theoretically, the two characteristics are not on the same chromosomes .
3. In dihybrid cross, Mendel studied two characteristic of pea plant at the same
time.
Summary of Mendel dihybrid experiment

New combinations of characteristics are produced in the F2 generatio namely

constricted yellow seed and round green seed.

Two characteristics (seed shape and colour) are combined in F1 generation but
later they separate and react freely in F2 generation.
1. In general, body cells of human can be categorised as somatic cells and
reproductive cells
2. Somatic cells are diploid cells , whereas reproductive cells are haploid cells
3. A human somatic cell has 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosome.
(a) Among the 46 chromosomes, 44 chromosomes are autosomes and 2
chromosomes are sex chromosomes.
(b) Autosomes have genes which control human characteristics irrelevant to
gender determination , while sex chromosomes consist of X chromosome and Y
chromosome
(c) Sex chromosomes contain genes which determine gender and other genes.
(d) X chromosome is larger than Y chromosome because the Y chromosome
4. only carries genes for gender determination.
5. A male somatic cell has 44 autosomes, one X chromosome and one Y
chromosome, while a female somatic cell has 44 autosomes and two X
chromosomes..
6. A human reproductive cell has 23 chromosomes in which 22 chromosomes are
autosomes and one sex chromosome..
(a) A sperm cell contains 22 autosomes and either one X chromosome or one Y
chromosome.
(b) An ovum contains 22 autosomes and one X chromosome.
7. Karyotype is a visual appearance of all chromosomes in a cell which are
arranged in pair in a descending order according to the size and position of
centromere..
8. karyograms of human..

Genotype : 44 + XY Genotype : 44 + XX
Phenotype : MALE Phenotype : female
ABO blood groups
1. Human blood groups are classified into four groups: Blood group A, B, AB and O.
2. Gene for ABO blood grouping located at chromosome 9 and are represented with
symbol I.
(a) There are three types of alleles: IA, IB and IO.
(b) Alleles IA and IB are dominant to allele IO. The IO is a recessive allele. The
alleles IA and IB are codominant.
(c) Alleles IA and IB produce the A antigen and B antigen respectively on the
surface of red blood cells.
(d) Allele IO does not produce antigen.
3. Each individual only contains two alleles for single gene.
(a) Individual with blood group A has a genotype either IAIA or IAIO
(b) Individual with blood group B has a genotype either IBIB or IBIO.
(c) Individual with blood group AB has a genotype IAIB.
(d) Individual with blood group O has a genotype IOIO.
4. Thus, there are six genotypes and four phenotypes possibilities in ABO blood
grouping.
5. human ABO blood grouping.
Thalassemia
1. Thalassemia is a blood disease which can be inherited.
2. Patient of thalassemia produces abnormal haemoglobin and has insufficient
haemoglobin.
3. There are two types of thalassemia, alpha thalassemia and beta thalassemia ,
dependent on the types of polypeptides involved within haemoglobin.
4. Each type of thalassemia can also be categorised as thalassemia major and
thalassemia minor .
5. Individual with thalassemia major (α0/α0 or β0 /β0 ) inherits two recessive
alleles from both parents, whereas individual with thalassemia minor (α/α0 or
β/β0 ) only inherits one recessive allele from either one of his parents.
6. minor adalah pembawa penyakit, dan biasanya tiada simptom ditunjukkan.
Individual with thalassemia major is suffered with anaemia , whereas individual
with thalassemia minor is a carrier for the disease, and usually has no
symptoms shown.
Other inherited characteristics in human
1. Ability to roll tongue and shape of earlobe are two human characteristics which
can be inherited and analysed by using inheritance cross diagram and the
Mendel’s first law.

Haemophilic inheritance in a family