KEY CONCEPT The chromosomes on which genes are located can affect the expression of traits.
Objectives Students will be able to: Relate dominant-recessive patterns of inheritance in autosomal chromosomes to genetic disorders. Describe patterns of inheritance in sex-linked traits.
Two copies of each autosomal gene affect phenotype. Mendel studied autosomal gene traits, like hair texture.
Mendel’s rules of inheritance apply to autosomal genetic disorders. A heterozygote for a recessive disorder is a carrier. Disorders caused by dominant alleles are uncommon. (dominant)
Males and females can differ in sex-linked traits. Genes on sex chromosomes are called sex-linked genes. Y chromosome genes in mammals are responsible for male characteristics. X chromosome genes in mammals affect many traits.
Male mammals have an XY genotype. All of a male’s sex-linked genes are expressed. Males have no second copies of sex-linked genes.
Female mammals have an XX genotype. Expression of sex-linked genes is similar to autosomal genes in females. X chromosome inactivation randomly “turns off” one X chromosome.
Review How are dominant-recessive patterns of inheritance in autosomal chromosomes related to genetic disorders? What are the patterns of sex-linked traits? How are Mendel’s observations related to genes on autosomes? Why are males more likely than females to have sex-linked genetic disorders? How are autosomal traits, including recessive genetic disorders that are carried in a population, related to Mendel’s observations of heredity? Describe how sex-linked genes are expressed differently in males and in females. How might a scientist determine whether a trait is sex-linked by observing the offspring of several genetic crosses? How is the expression of sex-linked genes both similar to and different from the expression of autosomal genes? Scientists hypothesize that over millions of years, the Y chromosome has lost genes to the X chromosome. During what stages of meiosis might the Y chromosome have transferred genes to the X chromosome? Explain.