Punnett Square

Ms. Elaine B. Espejon

 What is Genetics?

Genetics is the scientific study

of heredity.
Heredity – the passing on of genes from
parents to offspring.
 What is a Trait?

 A trait is a specific characteristic that

varies from one individual to another.
 Examples: Brown hair, blue eyes, tall,
curly hair, etc.
 What is an Allele?

 Alleles are the different

possibilities for a given
trait.
 Every trait has at least two
alleles (one from the Examples of Alleles:
A = Brown Eyes
mother and one from the a = Blue Eyes
father) B = Green Eyes
b = Hazel Eyes
 Example: Eye color –
Brown, blue, green, hazel
 What are Genes?

 Genes are the

sequence of DNA
that codes for a
protein and thus
determines a
trait.
 Gregor Mendel

 Father of Genetics
 1st important studies of
heredity
 Identified specific traits in the garden pea
and studied them from one generation to
another
 Mendel’s
Principles

1.Law of Segregation – Two alleles for each

trait separate when gametes (sex cells) form;
Parents pass only one allele for each trait to
each offspring
2.Law of Independent Assortment – Genes for
different traits are inherited independently
of each other
 Dominant vs. Recessive
 Dominant - Masks the other trait; the trait that
shows if present
 Represented by a capital letter R
 Recessive – An organism with a recessive allele
for a particular trait will only exhibit that trait
when the dominant allele is not present; Will only
show if both alleles are present
 Represented by a lower case letter r
Dominant & Recessive Practice
T – straight hair
t - curly hair

 TT - Represent offspring with straight hair

 Tt - Represent offspring with straight hair
 tt - Represents offspring with curly hair
 Genotype vs. Phenotype
 Genotype – The genetic makeup of an organism;
The gene (or allele) combination an organism has.
 Example: Tt, ss, GG, Ww
 Phenotype – The physical characteristics of an
organism; The way an
organism looks
 Example: Curly hair,
straight hair, blue eyes,
tall,
 Homozygous vs. Heterozygous
 Homozygous – Term used to
refer to an organism that has two RR
identical alleles for a particular
trait (TT or tt) rr
 Heterozygous - Term used to
refer to an organism that has two
different alleles for the same trait
Rr
(Tt)
 Punnett Squares
 Punnett Square – Diagram showing the gene
combinations that might result from a
genetic cross.
 Used to calculate the
probability of inheriting
a particular trait
 Probability – The chance
that a given event will
occur
 Punnett Square

Parent

Parent Offspring
How to Complete a Punnett Square
 (eye color)
Y-Black
y-Blue

Genotype:
1:2:1
(YY:Yy:yy)

Phenotype:
3 Black (75%)
1 Blue (25%)
 You Try It Now!

 Give the genotype and phenotype for the following

cross: TT x tt (T = Tall and t = Short)
 TT x tt

Step One: Set Up Punnett Square (put one parent on

the top and the other along the side)

T T
t

t
 TT x tt

Step Two: Complete the Punnett Square.

T T

t Tt Tt

t Tt Tt
 TT x tt

Step Three: Write the genotype and phenotype.

T T
Genotype:
t Tt Tt 4 - Tt

t Tt Tt Phenotype:
100% Tall

Remember: Each box is 25%

 You Try It Now! (2)

 Give the genotype and phenotype for the following

cross: Tt x tt
 Tt x tt

Step One: Set Up Punnett Square (put one parent on the top and
the other along the side)
T t
t

t
 Tt x tt

Step Two: Complete the Punnett Square

T t
t Tt tt

t Tt tt
 Tt x tt

Step Two: Write the Genotype and Phenotype

T t Genotype:
Tt - 2 (50%)
t Tt tt tt - 2 (50%)

t Tt tt Phenotype:
50% Tall
50% Short
Remember: Each box is 25%
Thank you for Listening!
