Certificate No.

AJA19-0226

LESSON 6. EXTRANUCLEAR INHERITANCE AND

MATERNAL EFFECT
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A. INTRODUCTION

Mendelianoffspring’s
inheritance patterns involve genes that directly influence the outcome of an
traits and obey Mendel’s laws. To predict phenotype, we must consider
several factors. These include the dominant/recessive relationship of
alleles, gene interactions that may affect the expression of a single trait, and the roles that
sex and the environment play in influencing the individual’s phenotype. Once these factors
are understood, we can predict the phenotypes of offspring from their genotypes.
Most genes in eukaryotic species follow a Mendelian pattern of inheritance. However,
many genes do not. In this chapter, we will examine several additional and even bizarre types of
inheritance patterns that deviate from a Mendelian pattern. In the first two sections, we will
examine deviations from Mendelian inheritance that arise because some genetic material is not
located in the cell nucleus. Certain cellular organelles, such as chloroplasts and mitochondria,
contain their own genetic material. We will survey the inheritance of these organellar genes. We
then consider two interesting examples of non-Mendelian inheritance called imprinting and the
maternal effect. Even though these inheritance patterns involve genes that are on chromosomes
within the cell nucleus, the genotype of the offspring does not directly govern their phenotype in
ways predicted by Mendel. We will see how gene silencing and the timing of gene expression
can cause a non-Mendelian pattern of inheritance.

B. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
1. Value the importance of extranuclear inheritance.
2. Compare the DNA and chromosomes of those found in chloroplast, mitochondria and
nucleus.
3. Evaluate the nature of maternal effect.

C. EXTRANUCLEAR INHERITANCE: CHLOROPLASTS

In addition to the cell nucleus, the chloroplasts and mitochondria contain their own DNA.
Because these organelles are found within the cytoplasm of the cells, the inheritance of
organellar genetic material is called extranuclear inheritance (the prefix extra- means
outside of), or cytoplasmic inheritance.

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