Topic 3: More complex

genetics
D3.2.14 Continuous Variation due to polygenic
inheritance and/or environmental factors
• Discrete variation: clear difference in an inherited characteristic
(example blood type)

• Continuous variation – several genes combine to produce multiple

variations of a characteristic

Polygene- many genes combined to form a characteristic

example: body weight and height, and skin colour
 D3.2.14 Continuous Variation due to polygenic
inheritance and/or environmental factors
• Human skin colour
• Result of amounts of melanin
produced in skin
• 3-5 different genes control the
amount of melanin
=continuous distribution of skin
colour

• Example using just 2 genes

• Could be influenced by
environmental factors
 Continuous vs. discrete variables and
measurements of central tendency
• Normal
distribution curve
vs. skewed
distribution
• Mode: Most
frequent value in a
s et of values
• Median: Middle
value in a set of
values arranged in
ascending order. If
even number take
average of two
middle numbers
• Mean: (average)
 Concentration of blood type A per country
Calculate
• Mode
• Median
• Mean
 Crosses with unlinked genes

• Remember Mendel’s Pea plants?

• P generation: Pure breed Round seeds with yellow
cotyledons
crossed with Pure bred wrinkled seeds with green
cotyledons

F1: Round yellow peas

F1 x F1 =
F2= 9:3:3:1
Round yellow: Round green: Wrinkled Yellow: Wrinkled
green
 Crosses with unlinked genes

• F2 showed new combinations

not found in P generation
• =must be on separate
chromosomes and must be
inherited independently
 Crosses with unlinked genes
• 4 different gametes can be produced or four different
combinations of alleles =
• Law of independent assortment = 2 or more pairs of alleles
segregate independently of each other as a result of meiosis ,
provided the genes concerned are not linked by being on the
same chromosome
• IOW = Meiosis