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CIE A Level Biology

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A Level Biology CIE Revision Notes

16. Inheritance
16.2 The Roles of Genes in Determining the Phenotype
16.2.2 Predicting Inheritance: Monohybrid Crosses

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First teaching 2020
Last exams 2024

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16.2.2 Predicting
Inheritance:
Monohybrid
Crosses
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Predicting Inheritance: Monohybrid

Crosses

Monohybrid inheritance looks at how the

alleles for a single gene are passed on
from one generation to the next
Known information about the genotypes,
phenotypes and the process of meiosis
are used to make predictions about the
phenotypes of o!spring that would
result from specific breeding pairs
When two individuals sexually reproduce
there is an equal chance of either allele
from their homologous pair making it into
their gametes and subsequently the
nucleus of the zygote
This means there is an equal chance
of the zygote inheriting either allele
from their parent

Genetic diagrams are often used to

present this information in a clear and
precise manner so that predictions can
be made
These diagrams include a
characteristic table called a Punnett
square

The predicted genotypes that genetic

diagrams produce are all based on
chance
There is no way to predict which
gametes will fuse so sometimes the
observed or real-life results can
di!er from the predictions

Worked example: Genetic diagram

One of the genes for the coat colour of
horses has the following two alleles:
B, a dominant allele produces a
black coat when present
b, a recessive allele produces a
chestnut coat when present in a
homozygous individual

In this example a heterozygous male is

crossed with heterozygous female

Parental phenotype: black coat x black

coat

Parental genotype: Bb Bb

Parental gametes: B or b B or b

Monohybrid punnett square with

heterozygotes table

Predicted ratio of phenotypes in

o!spring – 3 black coat : 1 chestnut coat
Predicted ratio of genotypes in o!spring
– 1 BB : 2 Bb : 1 bb

Codominance
When working with codominant alleles
the genetic diagrams can be
constructed in a similar way, however the
genotypes are represented using a
capital letter for the gene and
superscript letters for the alleles (eg. IAIA)
There will be more possible phenotypes
and so the predicted ratios will be
di!erent

Worked example: Codominance

The gene for blood type has three alleles:
A, a dominant allele produces blood
type A
B, a dominant allele produces blood
type B
O, two recessive alleles will produce
blood type O

In this example a blood type A person is

crossed with a blood type B person

Parental phenotype: Blood type A x

Blood type B

Parental genotype: IAIO IBIO

Parental gametes: IA or IO IB or IO

Monohybrid punnett square with

codominance table

Predicted ratio of phenotypes in o!spring - 1

Blood type AB : 1 Blood type A : 1 Blood type B
: 1 Blood type O

Predicted ratio of genotypes in o!spring: 1

IAIB : 1 IAIO : 1 IBIO : 1 IOIO

Sex-linkage
Sex-linked genes are only present on
one sex chromosome and not the other
This means the sex of an individual
a!ects what alleles they pass on to their
o!spring through their gametes
If the gene is on the X chromosome
males (XY) will only have one copy of
the gene, whereas females (XX) will have
two
There are three phenotypes for females
- normal, carrier and has the disease,
whereas males have only two
phenotypes – normal or has the disease

Worked example: Sex-linkage

Haemophilia is a well known sex-linked
disease
There is a gene found on the X
chromosome that codes for a protein
called factor VIII. Factor VIII is needed to
make blood clot
There are two alleles for factor VIII, the
dominant F allele which codes for normal
factor VIII and the recessive f allele which
results in a lack of factor VIII
When a person possesses only the
recessive allele f, they don’t produce
factor VIII and their blood can't clot
normally
The genetic diagram below shows how
two parents with normal factor VIII can
have o!spring with haemophilia

Parental phenotypes: carrier female x

normal male

Parental genotypes: XFXf

XFY

Parental gametes: XF or Xf XF
or Y

Monohybrid punnett square with sex-

linkage table

Predicted ratio of phenotypes in o!spring - 1

female with normal blood clotting : 1 carrier
female : 1 male with haemophilia : 1 male with
normal blood clotting

Predicted ratio of genotypes in o!spring: 1

XFXF : 1 XFXf : 1 XFY : 1 XfY
Feedback

Exam Tip
Make sure to include all of your working out
when constructing genetic diagrams. It is not
enough just to complete a punnett square,
you need to show that you have thought
about the possible gametes that can be
produced by each parent.Also, remember to
state the phenotype as well as the genotype
of the o!spring that result from the cross.
Read the questions carefully when answering
sex-linked inheritance questions – is the
question asking for a probability for all
children or is it asking about a specific
gender (boys or girls).

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16. Inheritance

16.1 Passage of Information fro…

16.2 The Roles of Genes in Deter…

16.2.1 Key Terms in Genetics

16.2.2 Predicting Inheritance: Monohybrid

Crosses

16.2.3 Predicting Inheritance: Dihybrid

Crosses

16.2.4 Predicting Inheritance: Test Crosses

16.2.5 Predicting Inheritance: Chi-squared

Test

16.2.6 Genes, Proteins & Phenotype

16.2.7 The Role of Gibberellin in Stem

Elongation

16.3 Gene Control

17. Selection & Evolution

18. Classification, Biodiversity & Co…

19. Genetic Technology

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