SEX LINKED GENES

Dr V.P.Saini
Prof. & Dean
College of Fisheries, Kishanganj
Qualitative phenotypes may also be controlled by
genes located on one of the sex chromosomes
and the genes are called sex-linked genes

Sex-linked phenotypes have been discovered in

relatively few species of fish and most of the
information came from the two species guppy
and platy.
Contd…..
The sex-linked inheritance in fish was first
described by Johannes in 1920 in guppy,
Poecilia reticulata.

All sex-linked phenotypes that are known in fish

are controlled by genes that are located on the X
and / or Y chromosome

No genes restricted to the W or Z chromosomes

have been discovered.
1. Y–Linked Genes
Only one copy of a Y- linked gene exists on
the single Y chromosome of a normal male.

Y- linked phenotypes cannot be fixed in

normal females, which do not possess Y
chromosome

The Y–linked inheritance of colour patterns in

male P. reticulata was reported by Winge.
Genes located on the Y–chromosomes are
transmitted from father to son, and

unless they cross over to the X

chromosome, they will never exist in
normal females (XX).

Thus Y-linked phenotypes are seen in only

one sex, males.
 The maculatus gene in the guppy, which
controls the maculatus pigment pattern
(black spot on the dorsal fin and a red
spot on the body) will be used to illustrate
the inheritance of a Y-linked phenotype.
The symbol for the maculatus gene is
Yma.
The symbol for the allele which produces
the wild type or unspotted phenotype is Y.
Genotype
Genotype Phenotype
Phenotype
XX
XX grey
grey O
O++
XYma
XYma maculatus♂
maculatus♂
XY
XY grey
grey ♂
♂
2. X-linked Genes

Sex linked genes can also be located on X-

chromosome

X-linked genes are expressed differently in

normal males (single copy in XY) and normal
females (two copies in XX).

In females, most X-linked genes exhibit complete

dominance
X-linked alleles follow definite genetic
patterns, but the phenotypes do not
always follow the expected ratios

This is because many X-linked

phenotypes (some autosomal
phenotypes too) are sex-limited in
that the phenotype is expressed in only
one sex
 In females, most X-linked genes exhibit complete
dominance. Because males have only a single X
chromosome an X-linked allele is expressed in males.
 For example, caudalis pigmentation in guppy is due to X–
linked genes. The inheritance of X-linked phenotype
follows a criss-cross pattern.
 The father determine his daughter’s phenotype while her
mother determine her sons phenotype. This phenotype is
produced by the dominant Xcp allele and the recessive
Xch allele.
 A single Xcp allele produces caudalis pigmentation in either
sex.
 The Xch allele must be present in the homozygous state to
produce the transparent phenotype in females (Xch Xch),
but a single Xch allele will produce the phenotype in males
(Xch Y).
3. Sex-limited traits
The black strain ‘Nigra’ is inherited as a dominant
sex linked allele.
a cross between a ‘Nigra’ female and a lightly
pigmented male ‘white” produced ‘Nigra’ sons
and ‘white’ daughters and
F2 produced approximately equal frequencies of
‘Nigra’ and ‘white’ individuals of each sex.
4. Sex-linked inheritance in the Platy- WZ/ZZ system
Wo Zn x Zw Zw
Nigra ♀ White ♂
↓
Wo Zw Zn Zw
White ♀ Nigra ♂
↓
Wo Zn : Wo Zw : Zn Zw : Zw Zw
Nigra ♀ White ♀ Nigra ♂ White ♂

Sex linked inheritance in platy