MENDELIAN GENETICS

Genes
- Segment of DNA that code for a polypeptide chain or a tRNA or an
rRNA
- There is no mRNA because POLYPEPTDE CHAIN is mentioned (the
end product is the polypeptide chain, not the mRNA)
Genetics
- study of heredity and diversity

Gregor Mendel
- Father of Genetics

*Central Dogma of molecular biology

- DNA is the genetic material of all cells
-DNA is the one that produces poly peptide chains, rRNA, proteins and tRNA

*Every time an RNA is made, the blueprint/transcription is the DNA

*the DNA has the function of replication. EVERY CELL UNDERGOES REPLICATION
ONCE EVERY CELL DIVISION. Replication is needed to let the next generation of
daughter cells carry the same genes.

RNA
-tRNA
- transfer
-rRNA
-forms the ribosome
-mRNA
-messenger
-goes to the ribosome and the ribosome reads the codes that the mRNA
carries which is called the process of translation.
-Not a last product that’s why it is not included

Slide 2

Homozygous: 2 identical alleles for a given gene

Heterozygous: 2 different alleles for a given gene

Dominant allele: full expressed in the phenotype of the heterozygote

Recessive allele: phenotypic effect not expressed in a heterozygote

Slide 4

Gregor Mendel used peas

Cross pollinated purple and white flowers

Generation1 showed purple flowers
Generation 2 showed purple and white flowers

1st law of MENDEL

Law of segregation
-homologous pair of chromosomes separates during Anaphase I

2nd law of MENDEL

Law of Independent Assortment
-separation of alleles

Dihybrid Cross
-shows the law of independent assortment
-talks about one set of genes
-hypothesis of independent and depend assortment

Mendel’s studies involved characteristics determined by:

 one gene producing one phenotype
 with only two alleles
 completely dominant or completely recessive

Degree of Dominance
 complete: phenotypes of dominant homozygote and heterozygote are not
distinguishable  purple flowers (can’t be determined if PP or Pp)

 Incomplete: neither allele is dominant, phenotype of heterozygote is

intermediate of the homozygotes with the dominant or recessive genes  Purple
flowers (it is neither white or purple, it’s light purple)

 Codominance : phenotypes of both alleles are dominantly expressed  Blood

type (Blood type AB)
Incomplete Dominance
 neither allele is dominant, phenotype of heterozygote is intermediate of the
homozygotes with the dominant or recessive genes  Purple flowers (it is neither
white or purple, it’s light purple)

Multiple Allelism
 A particular trait may have more than 2 alleles

ABO BLOOD GROUPS

Blood types are determined by BLOOD GROUP ANTIGENS on the Red Blood Cell
Membrane
Blood type O is Recessive
Blood Type A and B is Codominant

O O

A AO AO

O AO OO
Mendelian Genetics for 2 or more Genes

Epistasis: gene at one locus alters phenotypic expression of another gene at a

second locus

B black coat, dominant

b brown coat, recessive
C for colour disposition
C no colour disposition

BOMBAY PHENOTYPE

You need the H antigen (Big H) to have

An O Blood type, if you have the small
h antigen, you have a Bombay blood type.
H – dominant
h- recessive
H Antigen - precursor (backbone) of A
Antigen , precursor for formation of B
Antigen
H antigen – no disposition of the A or
B antigen
Pleiotropy
 one gene has multiple phenotypic effects
 one gene, many phenotypes

e.g. gene associated with hereditary diseases that gives rise to multiple
symptoms

Polygenic Inheritance
 one phenotype, many genes
 additive effect of two or more genes on a single phenotypic character
quantitative characteristics
 example : skin pigmentation
Definition of terms

Phenotype – what we can see, physical

Genotype – genes, the code, inside the body :>

NOTE:
-For a recessive trait to be expressed, it should be a homozygous pair of alleles
-Genes does not always go at the same poles, they might go to different ones by
crossing over…
-No matter how many allele an organism may have, they will always express the
allele that their parents gave.