Mendelian Inheritance Quiz

Mendelian Inheritance

Key Concepts

• Mendel's Laws: 3 laws that describe how traits are inherited in a predictable manner
• Heritability: the proportion of variation in a trait that is due to genetics

The Three Laws of Mendelian Inheritance

1. The Law of Segregation
   • Each pair of alleles separates from each other during gamete formation
   • Each gamete receives only one allele
2. The Law of Independent Assortment
   • Alleles for different genes are sorted independently of each other during gamete formation
   • Increases genetic variation in offspring
3. The Law of Dominance
   • One allele can be dominant over another allele
   • Dominant allele will be expressed in the phenotype

Types of Inheritance Patterns

• Autosomal Dominant: one copy of the dominant allele is enough to express the trait
• Autosomal Recessive: two copies of the recessive allele are needed to express the trait
• X-Linked: genes located on the X chromosome, influencing trait expression in males and females differently
• Incomplete Dominance: one allele is not completely dominant over the other
• Co-Dominance: both alleles have an equal effect on the phenotype

Predicting Inheritance with Punnett Squares

• A graphical representation of possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring
• Helps predict probability of inherited traits
• Used to determine genotype and phenotype probabilities for a cross between two parents

Mendelian Inheritance

Key Concepts

• Mendel's Laws describe how traits are inherited in a predictable manner
• Heritability is the proportion of variation in a trait that is due to genetics

The Three Laws of Mendelian Inheritance

Law of Segregation

• Each pair of alleles separates from each other during gamete formation
• Each gamete receives only one allele

Law of Independent Assortment

• Alleles for different genes are sorted independently of each other during gamete formation
• Increases genetic variation in offspring

Law of Dominance

• One allele can be dominant over another allele
• Dominant allele will be expressed in the phenotype

Types of Inheritance Patterns

Autosomal Dominant

• One copy of the dominant allele is enough to express the trait
• Examples: Huntington's disease, Achondroplasia

Autosomal Recessive

• Two copies of the recessive allele are needed to express the trait
• Examples: Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia

X-Linked

• Genes located on the X chromosome, influencing trait expression in males and females differently
• Examples: Hemophilia, Red-Green Color Blindness

Incomplete Dominance and Co-Dominance

• Incomplete Dominance: one allele is not completely dominant over the other
• Co-Dominance: both alleles have an equal effect on the phenotype
• Examples: Blood Type, Flower Color

Predicting Inheritance with Punnett Squares

• A graphical representation of possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring
• Helps predict probability of inherited traits
• Used to determine genotype and phenotype probabilities for a cross between two parents

Test your understanding of Mendel's Laws and how they describe the inheritance of traits in a predictable manner. Keywords: heritability, genetics