GENETICS AND

HEREDITY
Genetics is the scientific study of
heredity and variation.
Heredity refers to the passing of
traits from the parents to the
offspring
Pre-Mendelian Theory
of Heredity
Blending Hypothesis
Particulate Hypothesis
 Particulate Hypothesis

-Also knows as “The Gene Idea”

- parents pass on discrete heritable
units, the GENES that retain their
separate identities in offsprings.
 GREGOR JOHANN
MENDEL
(1822 – 1884)

- An Austrian Monk
- The Father of Genetics
- Discovered the basic
principles of inheritance
through his experiment
in garden peas
 Garden Peas
(Pisum sativum L.)
• Character – a heritable feature that
varies among individuals, such as flower
color

• Trait – each variant for a character,

such as purple or white color for
flowers
Seven Characters in Pea Plants
 Mendel’s Model
1. Alternative versions of genes account for variation in
inherited characters.
2. For each character, an organism inherits two copies
of a gene, one from each parent
3. If two alleles at a locus differ, then one, the
dominant allele, determines the organism’s
appearance; the other, the recessive allele, has no
noticeable effect on the organism’s appearance.
LAW OF SEGREGATION
- states that the two alleles for
a heritable character
segregate (separate from each
other) during gamete
formation and end up in
different gametes
 Useful Genetic Vocabulary

HOMOZYGOUS
HETEROZYGOUS
PHENOTYPE
GENOTYPE
HOMOZYGOUS
-Having the two genes at corresponding loci on
homologous chromosomes identical for on or more
loci

Ex. (GG, gg)

HETEROZYGOUS
-Having the two genes at corresponding loci on
homologous chromosomes different for on or more
loci

Ex. (Gg)
Phenotype
- the observable properties of an organism that are
produced by the interaction of the genotype and the
environment
- Physical attributes

Genotype
- all or part of the genetic constitution of an individual
or group
- Genetic make up
 The Testcross
Breeding an
organism of unknown
genotype with a
recessive homozygote
is called a
TESTCROSS because
it can reveal the
genotype of that
organism. The
testcross was devised
by Mendel and
SAMPLE PROBLEM

In pea plants, having a green pod (G) is

dominant over the yellow pod (g). If a heterozygous
green pod in a pea plant is allowed to pollinate by
itself. Give the genotypes and phenotypes of the
resulting F1.
Mendel’s dihybrid experiments are the basis for
what we now call the;

LAW OF INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT,

- which states that each pair of alleles segregates
independently of each other pair of alleles during
gamete formation.
DIHYBRID CROSS
SAMPLE PROBLEM

In pea plants, having a green pod (G) and a tall

stem (T) is dominant over the yellow pod (g) and
short stem (t). Cross heterozygous green and tall
with another of the same kind. Find the genotype,
genotypic ration, phenotype and phenotypic ration of
the offsprings.
Non Mendelian
Inheritance
INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE

- heterozygous
phenotype
intermediate
between two
homozygous
phenotypes
CODOMINANCE

- Both
parental
traits are
displayed
MULTIPLE ALLELES

- Three or more alternative forms of a

gene that can occupy the same locus.
However, only two of the alleles can
be present in a single organism.