HEREDITY

WHY WE LOOK THE WAY WE DO ?

BY: JEAN T. CAMINO

 Heredity = the passing on of traits from one
generation to the next.
A trait is a specific characteristic that is unique.
Traits affect the way we look
Traits affect how our bodies function
Traits are inherited
Examples are hair color, eye color, handedness, etc.
 We use a pedigree chart to keep track of how
traits are passed on from generation to
generation.
 Traits are either Dominant or Recessive.
A dominant trait is a trait that is always
expressed, or shown.
Examples are brown hair, brown eyes, right handed
A recessive trait is a trait that is covered up or
seems to disappear.
Examples are blonde hair, blue eyes, left handed
Factors that make up an individual come from both
parents.
The trait information is passed on from generation
to generation in the form of genes.
A gene is a specific location on a
chromosome that controls a certain
trait.
 An individual needs 2 genes for each trait
one gene from each parent.
This gene pair is called an allele.
One gene comes from the sperm cell (from the
Father)
One gene comes from the egg cell (from the Mother)
A chromosome is a structure in the cell that
contains the genetic information.
This information is passed on from one
generation to the next generation.
 The name of the dominant trait determines what letter is
used to represent the gene.
Use a capital of the first letter of the dominant trait to
represent the dominant gene.
Use a small version of the first letter of the dominant trait
for the recessive gene.
Example: Right-handedness is the dominant trait so use R
for the dominant gene and use r for the recessive gene for
Left-handedness.
Example 2: Tall is the dominant trait so we use T and we use
t for the recessive gene for Short.
Traits are how our genes show and since traits are
formed from two genes, they are described by
the combination of genes that make the pair.
Traits are described as either:
homogeneous, (pure)
heterogeneous, (mixed)
 Pure Dominant: the individual only has genes
for the dominant trait.
Example: TT = a pure tall individual has only tall (T)
genes.

Pure Recessive: the individual only has genes

for the recessive trait.
Example: tt = a pure short individual has only short (t)
genes.
A heterozygous individual has one dominant
gene and one recessive gene for a trait. The
result is the dominant gene is the one
expressed, or shown.
Example: Tt = a heterozygote tall individual has both
tall (T) and short (t) genes but looks tall.
A Punnett Square is a way to show the
possible combinations of genes that
offspring of parents could have.
DNA is the instruction code that the genes use
to form traits.
DNA is long threads of material found in all cells.
DNA contains the master code that instructs all cells
in their daily jobs.
Genes are short pieces of DNA that make up our
chromosomes.
Each piece of DNA that is related to a gene makes up one
trait.
DNA looks like a twisted ladder made
of chemical compounds called bases.
 There are 4 types of bases in DNA: Adenine,
Guanine, Cytosine and Thymine.
These bases fit together like puzzle
pieces
Adenine with Thymine
Cytosine with Guanine
 Genes are pieces of DNA that make up a trait
Different genes consist of different arrangements of the
Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine bases.
These bases can be arranged to form different proteins
(chemical messages)
These messages control different traits (some determine
how we look, some determine how we feel and function).
There are many millions of possible combinations of
these 4 bases this accounts for the differences, and
similarities, between life forms on earth.
 All characteristics are affected by the DNA in
the cells of the individual organism.
These characteristics are called traits. Traits
depend on the types of proteins that the 4 bases
(A,C,G,T) make up.
 Parents pass on copies of their DNA to their
offspring.
The DNA from each parent combines to form the
DNA of the offspring.
How the offspring develops depends on the
instructions coded in the DNA donated by both
parents.
Offspring are similar to parents, but different due
to the many possible combinations of the 4 bases.
Every individual is unique.
 To predict looks of offspring
To predict risks of diseases/defects

 Sickle-cell Anemia is a genetically inherited
disease where red blood cells are misshaped.
Red blood cell shape is an inherited trait.
Sickle-cell shape vs Normal cell shape
Sickle-cell anemia is cause by incomplete
dominance.