NON-MENDELIAN

GENETICS
Mendelian Genetics
• Complete Dominance
• Either dominant or recessive!

Example: Red flower is dominant over white.

What is the genotype and phenotype of the
offspring.

R R Genotypic Ratio : 4Rr

Phenotype : 100% Red
r Rr Rr Flower

r Rr Rr
But…
NON-MENDELIAN
GENETICS
Non-Mendelian Inheritance
 Refers to the inheritance of traits that have a
more complex genetic basis than one with two
alleles and complete dominance.
 any pattern of inheritance in which traits do
not segregate in accordance with Mendel's laws
 Mendelian Genetics describes inheritance
patterns based on Complete Dominance or
Recessiveness.

 There are other types of inheritance that

Mendel never considered:
 Incomplete Inheritance
 Codominance
 Multiple Alleles
 Polygenic Traits NON –
 Sex-linked
MENDELIAN
GENETICS
Incomplete Dominance
In incomplete dominance, the two alleles of a
heterozygote show a partial effect on phenotype

Analogy: Mixing red paint with white paint

BLENDING OR MIXING OF
TRAITS!!!
Sample Problem 1
Identify the genotype and the phenotype of an
organism resulting from the cross between a red
(RR) and white (WW) four o’clock plants?

Parent: RR x WW
R R
W RW RW
W RW RW

Genotype : RW
Phenotype : 100% Pink
Sample Problem 2
Using the information from previous problem,
what is the genotype and phenotype of an
organism resulting from the cross between two
pink flower?
Parent: RW x RW
R W
R RR RW
W RW WW
Genotype : 1 RR ; 2 RW ; 1 WW
Phenotype : 25% Red , 50% Pink , 25% White
Sample Problem 3
In snapdragons, flower color is controlled by incomplete
dominance. The two alleles are red (R) and white (W). The
heterozygous genotype is expressed as pink.
a. What is the phenotype of a plant with a genotype RR?
b. What is the phenotype of a plant with a genotype WW?
c. What is the phenotype of a plant with a genotype RW?
CODOMINANCE
A Non-Mendelian
Inheritance. The alleles
of a gene pair in a
heterozygote are fully
expressed.
 Both traits are dominant
and show up in the
phenotype together. Co
means “together
Example
Black Cow (BB) x White Cow (WW)
B B GENOTYPE : 4BW
PHENOTYPE:
W BW BW 100% Spotted Cow

W BW BW

X =
Sample Problem 3
Shorthorn cows show codominance in their coat
color. They can be red, white or roan. Show a test
cross between a red bull (CRCR) and white cow
(CwCw).

Parent: CRCR x CWCW

CR CR
CW C RC W C RC W
CW C RC W C RC W
Genotype : 4 CRCW
Phenotype : 100% Roan
CODOMINANCE
 A well-known example of codominance is observed in the alleles
underlying human blood types. In the early 1900s, Karl Landsteiner, an
Austrian scientist, was trying to understand why blood transfusions were
sometimes life saving but other times appeared to cause severe reactions
 The O allele does not code for any antigen. and even death. In doing so,
he recognized the variation in human blood types that we now categorize
as the ABO blood group. Human red blood cells can carry molecules on
their surface called antigens.
 For the ABO gene, there are two types, the A antigen and the B antigen.
The immune system of individuals that have only one or the other of these
antigens will not produce antibodies against the antigen their own blood
contains.
 On the other hand, if the blood type with the alternative antigen is
introduced, the antigen is recognized as "foreign" by the immune system,
and antibodies are formed against it that cause cells to clump. Although
many individuals have only the A antigen (type A) or the B antigen (type B),
some have both A and B antigens (type AB) and some have no antigens
(type O).
In heterozygous condition, both IA
and IB alleles are expressed in the
red blood cells that will have the
antigen A and B. Three alleles exist
in the ABO system: A, B, and O.
This result in four blood types : A,
B, O and the blended AB

In blood system:

Type O is recessive
Type AB is codominance
Multiple Alleles
(ABO Blood Groups)

IA and IB are both DOMINANT over i

i is always recessive
Sample Problem 4
Both the father and mother have type
O blood

Parent: ii x ii
i i
i ii ii
i ii ii

Genotype : 4 ii
Phenotype : All offspring are blood type O
Sample Problem 5
The father is type A heterozygous,
the mother is type B heterozygous.

Parent: IAi x IBi

IA i
IB IAIB I Bi
i IAi ii
Genotype : 1 IAIB :1 Iai :1 IBi :1 ii
Phenotype : 25% Type AB, 25% Type A, 25%
Type B, 25% Type O
Sample Problem 6
What is a Rhesus Factor?
Blood typing is determined by the molecules on the surface of
the red blood cells (RBCs). In general, we can classify
someone’s blood type by the absence or presence of A or B
antigens and Rh factor on the surface of blood cells. The
most commonly recognized blood groups are A positive, A
negative, B positive, B negative, AB positive, AB negative, O
positive, and O negative.
The positive or negative sign next to the blood groups is
known as the Rhesus (Rh) factor. The Rh factor is an
inherited protein that can be found on the surface of the red
blood cell.
If your blood type is positive, then your blood cells have
the Rh protein.
If your blood type is negative, then your blood cells lack
the Rh protein.

Although Rh positive is the most common blood type, having a

Rh-negative typing does not indicate illness and usually
doesn’t affect your health.
Source: https://www.redcrossblood.org/local-
homepage/news/article/what-is-the-rh-factor--
why-is-it-important-.html)
 Practice Exercise 1
A woman with type O+ blood marries a man with type
B- and they have a daughter with type O-. What are the
genotype of each individual?
 Practice Exercise 2
Tracy has a blood type of AB and her husband, Trevor,
also has a blood type of AB. What are the possible
blood types of their children? Make a Punnett Square
and summarize the phenotypic percentages