HEREDITY II

INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE occurs when the combination of two alleles produce a new
intermediate phenotype that is not manifested in either parent.

Example: flower colour in Mirabilis jalapa.

The two purebreed are red and white, but the hybrid have pink flowers

CODOMINANCE occurs when both alleles are expressed simultaneously.

Example: Flower colour in Camelia.
Purebreeds are white and red respectively, but hybrids have the two colours simultaneously.

An interesting case of codominance and multiple allelism is the blood type AB0:

We have blood A, B, AB or 0, depending on the type of antigens we have in our erytrocites.

This trait is determined by three alleles: A, B and 0.

A and B are codominants with respect to each other, but both alleles are dominant over 0.
In this table you can see the phenotypes, genotypes and other informations about this blood
group.

GENOTYPE AA A0 BB B0 AB 00
PHENOTYPE AB 0
A B
Antigen A and B No antigens
A B
Antibodies Anti-B Anti-A No antibodies Anti-A and Anti-B

The information about antigens and antibodies is not necessary to do the exercises, but it
explain why the 0 group is the universal donor, and why we can receive blood from one person
or not.

GENETIC SEX DETERMINATION

In humans, sex is determined genetically by

two sex chromosomes, called
heterochromosomes X and Y, because they
differ in size, shape and number of genes
they carry.

Women have two x chromosomes:

Genotype: XX

Men have one X and one Y:

Genotype: XY

When gametes are formed, the two

chromosomes separate. Each gamete
receives only one sex chromosome.
SEX- LINKED INHERITANCE

The X chromosome is bigger than the Y chromosome and it includes more genes.
Some traits are determined by genes that are located in X chromosome but not in the Y
chromosome . These are the cases of haemophilia and colour blindness.

Both disorders are produced by recessive alleles, in front of the normal ones.

In Haemophilia:

A- is the normal allele

a- is the allele that produce haemophilia

The possible genotypes are:

XA XA : healthy woman

XA Xa : carrier woman (she is a healthy woman, but she can transmit the disease to her
descendants)

Xa Xa : haemophiliac woman

XA Y : healthy man

Xa Y: haemophiliac man

Example:
A healthy woman whose father is a haemophiliac, has a son with a healthy man. Describe the
possible descendants.

Healthy woman x healthy man

XA Xa XA Y

Descendants:
25% healthy women XA XA
25% healthy men XA Y
25% healthy women (carrier) XA Xa
25% haemophilic men Xa Y