Sex Linked

Genes
The Xs and Ys of Genetics
 Sex Linked
•
Genes
There are 23 pairs of
chromosomes and
one of those pairs are
the sex
chromosomes.
• There are either X
chromosomes or Y
chromosomes.
 Sex Linked
• These
Genes •
Genes that are
chromosomes not carried by either
only carry the sex chromosome
genes that (X or Y) are said
determine male to be SEX
and female traits,
LINKED
but also those for
some other
characteristics as
well.
 Males
• Men normally have an
X and a Y
combination of sex
chromosomes.
• Since only men inherit
the Y chromosome,
they are the only ones
that inherit Y-linked
traits.
 Females
• Women
have 2 X
chromosomes
X Linked
Traits
• Men and Women
can get the X-
linked traits since
both inherit X
chromosomes.
Sex inheritance patterns for male
and female children
 X Chromosome Traits
• Men only have one X chromosome
• Therefore genes on that chromosome
are expressed in the male
phenotype, even if it is a recessive
gene.
 X-linked
traits •
• In women, a May have a
recessive allele dominant normal
allele on the other
on one x
carriers of X-linked
chromosome is traits but more
often masked on rarely have them
their phenotype expressed in their
own phenotypes
 X-linked
•
traits
In humans, at least
120 genes are known
to be X-linked.
• Genes for hemophilia,
red-green color
blindness, congenital
night blindness, and
Duchene muscular
dystrophy
 Hemophilia
• An X-linked
genetically inherited
recessive disease
• Can not clot their
blood
• Severe bleeding from
minor cuts
• Mostly in males
 Red-Green Color
Blindness
• X-linked
• Cannot perceive red and
green in the
same
• Most often afflicts males
 Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
• Characterized by a gradual irreversible
wasting away of skeletal muscle.
• An X-linked trait most often passed on to
sons from their mothers.
• Begins to weaken the legs of boys by age
3 and gets worse every year.
• No cure and inflicted usually die by age
30.
 Y-linked
Traits
• The Y chromosome is small and therefore
does not contain many genes
• Y linked diseases are very rare
• Only passed from father to son.
 Hypertrichosis Pinnae.
• Hairy ears
• Can happen later in
life.
• Y-linked