Heredity By: Mr. Kauffman

Outline What are genes? Gregor Mendel Where can we find our genes? What do our genes do? Our Genes Genetic Trait Tree Where do we get our genes from? Inheritance Predicting Inheritance Modern uses of DNA technology

What are genes? Heredity: the passing of genes from parents to offspring (children) Gene: a specific part of DNA that controls a hereditary trait Hereditary traits are characteristics that can be passed from parents to their offspring

Inherited vs. Acquired Characteristics Inherited characteristics: characteristics that are controlled by genes/DNA passed from parents to their offspring Examples -> height, natural hair color, eye color Acquired characteristics: characteristics that can be developed or altered during a person’s lifetime Examples -> tattoo, learning to play a sport, learning to play a musical instrument

Gregor Mendel Austrian monk Considered to be the father of modern Genetics Used pea plants to demonstrate how certain characteristics were passed through generations Seed shape, seed color, flower color, pod shape, pod color, and stem height

Mendel’s Work

Where can we find our genes? We have 1000’s of genes and each one is found at a specific location on a specific chromosome What does that mean? All genes are found in specific places Everyone has different combinations of traits, but… The genes for those traits are found on the same parts of chromosomes in everyone

Human Genome Project Major science project that mapped out all of the genes in the human chromosomes Identified the location of our genes Completed in 2003

Our Genes How many genes do humans have? http://web.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/

What do our genes do? Genes determine the traits that we have We are most familiar with physical traits So basically our genes determine what we look like Physical traits are observable characteristics Things that we can see examples: hair color, eye color, tongue rolling, ear lobes, hairline

Genetic Trait Tree We are going to be creating a Genetic Trait Tree to examine certain characteristics (traits) within our class For this activity we will be examining 3 traits Free or attached ear lobes Widow’s peak Tongue rolling

Our Genes We have 2 copies of each gene (1 from each parent) Each gene has 2 or more variations for what we see We can inherit the same or different variations examples: Hair color – brown, black, red, blonde Tongue rolling – can do it, can’t do it

Where do we get our genes from? ½ comes from mother 23 single chromosomes in the egg cell ½ comes from father 23 single chromosomes in sperm cell When the sperm and egg cells combine they form 1 cell with 46 single chromosomes (23 pairs). All humans have started as 1 cell just like that

Inheritance The characteristics seen in us depend on 2 things. 1. the combination of gene variations we get from our parents 2. how those gene variations interact with each other The different variations of genes are called alleles 2 basic alleles (gene variations) Dominant: the trait/characteristic that is always seen if it is present Recessive: the trait/characteristic that is only seen when the dominant variation is not present

Dominant and Recessive Traits Example of dominant and recessive alleles A person can have a widow’s peak (dominant) or a straight hairline (recessive) 2 dominant alleles = a person with a widow’s peak 1 dominant and 1 recessive allele = a person with a widow’s peak 2 recessive alleles = a person with a straight hairline

Inheritance Terms Homozygous Dominant: 2 dominant genes Homozygous Recessive: 2 recessive genes Heterozygous: 1 dominant and 1 recessive gene

Predicting Inheritance Punnett Square: a tool to predict the characteristics a child can inherit from its parents Use the alleles each parent has to determine the possible gene combinations that can be passed to offspring Capital letters = dominant allele Lowercase letters = recessive allele W = dominant w = recessive

Punnett Square Example Example using hairline Mother has the following combination – Ww Father has the following combination – ww They each pass 1 gene variation (letter) to their offspring Draw a Punnett Square Label sides Add parent variations Fill in the square MOTHER W w F A T H E R W w w w w w W w w w

Punnett Square Example What does this show us? Dominant = widow’s peak Recessive = straight hairline Genotype: genetic makeup 2 of 4 children have Ww and 2 have ww Phenotype: physical appearance 50% chance of having a child with a widow’s peak 50% chance of having a child with straight hairline MOTHER W w F A T H E R W w w w w w W w w w

Modern uses of DNA Technology Selective Breeding Breeding plants or animals for specific traits Has been used to create all of the different breeds of dogs that we currently have Bred to make them better hunters, or nicer temper, or better for protection

Modern uses of DNA Technology Forensic Science DNA Fingerprinting: identifying people based on their DNA What shows on TV have you seen that use this? 21

Forensic Science Pictures

Forensic Science Pictures

Modern uses of DNA Technology Genetic engineering Changing the DNA of an organism to alter it in some way Has been used to alter plants and vegetables Grow bigger, faster, in tougher conditions, and resistant to insects Transgenic organism: an organism that has had it’s DNA altered by genetic engineering. 24

Modern uses of DNA Technology Gene Therapy A type of genetic engineering in which damaged genes are replaced by normal genes 25

Genetic Engineering Movies 26

Modern Uses of DNA Technology Cloning Creating an exact copy of an existing organism Dolly (a sheep) was the first cloned animal to survive the process Happened in 1997 How is it done? There are problems with it though

Cloning

Cloning Movies 29

Cloning Movies 30

Cloning Movies

Modern uses of DNA Technology Stem Cell Research Taking an undifferentiated cell (one that hasn’t changed into a specific type of cell) and making it turn into the type of cell you want it to Can be used for: Creating new organs to replace damaged ones Replace damaged nerve cells in a spinal cord Replace damaged brain cells

Stem Cells