GENETICS

GENES
GENETICS
Genetics is the study of the mechanisms involved in the control, transmission and
expression of inherited characteristics
• Variation

• Continuous variation
Discontinuous variation
• Chromosomes and Genes
• Chromosome Numbers

somatic cells
gametes
diploid
2n
monoploid haploid
Species Diploid Number (2n) Haploid number (n)

Human being 46 23

Rat 40 20

Fruit fly 8 4

Onion 16 8

Tomato 24 12
• Chromosome Types
sex
chromosomes autosomes
 The Language of Genetics
• Chromosome

• Gene:

polygenic inheritance
• Allele:

multiple alleles
• Genotype

• Phenotype

• Dominant
• Recessive:

• Codominance:

IA IB
• Homozygous:
• Heterozygous:

Aa, Tt Bb

• Mendel’s Experiments
• Experiment 1

• Let T = allele for tallness and t = allele for shortness

• Note:
first parental generation (P1-generation).
first filial generation (F1-
generation).
• Experiment 2
F1 ¾
¼
 3:1
0.75 0.25

¼ X 1000 = 250
• Exercise:
(R)
(r)
• Exercise:
• Back Cross (Test Cross)
• (a) If the organism is homozygous dominant (TT)
• (b) If the organism is heterozygous (Tt)
• Blood Group inheritance in Humans

three alleles
IA, IB IO

IA IB IO
• Points to take note of
group AB NEVER O child

group O NEVER AB child

homozygous group A (IAIA) homozygous group B

(IBIB) NEVER

group O child
heterozygous (IAIO or IBIO).

one parent is heterozygous group A (IAIO)

heterozygous group B ( IBIO) any blood group
• Sex Inheritance in Humans

X
Y sex chromosomes
genotype XX is
female genotype XY is male

are equal
• Sex Linkage
non sex gene sex chromosome
sex-linked
X chromosome X-linked
haemophilia red-green colour
blindness on the Y
chromosome extra (non-homologous)
• Haemophilia

poor clotting of blood

VIII IX (h)
(H)

XHXH
XHXh
XhXh
XHY
XhY
• Red-green Colour Blindness

(r)
recessive (R) dominant

XRXR
XRXr
XrXr
XRY
Xr Y
 mutant
mutagen mutagenic factor carcinogens

gene mutations chromosome mutations

• Gene Mutation:
Albinism:
• Sickle cell Anaemia:

malaria.
Chromosome Mutation:
Down’s syndrome
47 chromosomes

NB: