Non-Mendelian Patterns of

Inheritance
Mendelian Genetics
(Complete Dominance)
Only two possible Phenotypes: either dominant or recessive

Tall plant X Short plant = Tall plant

(TT) (tt) (Tt)
Non-Mendelian Genetics

But, not all inheritance is based on the rules of Complete

Dominance.
Introduction

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
Sex-linked
Incomplete Inheritance

The hybrid (heterozygous) offspring displays a THIRD Phenotype.

Neither trait is completely dominant, as a result, there appears to be
a blending phenotype.
Red Flower X White Flower = Pink
(RR) (WW) (RW)
Incomplete Inheritance Problem

What is the probability of pink flowers if pink flowers are bred with
red flowers?

50%
chance
of Pink
Flowers
Incomplete Inheritance Problem

What is the probability of white flowers if pink flowers are bred with
pink flowers?
 CoDominance
Both traits are dominant, and show up in the phenotype together. Co
means “together”

Black Cow X White Cow = Spotted Cow

(BB) (WW) (BW)
CoDominance Problem

What are all the possible phenotypes when two spotted cows are
bred?

Possible
phenotypes
are a black
cow, 2
spotted
cows, and a
white cow
Blood type displays co-dominance
 Blood Type Inheritance Rules:
1. A person with the IA allele Cells Genotypes Blood types
will have A carbohydrates.
A A A Type A
2. A person with the IB allele I i, I I blood
will have B carbohydrates.
3. A person with the recessive B B B Type B
i allele will have no
I i, I I blood
carbohydrates.
Type AB
4. Or a person with both IA and IAIB blood
IB alleles will have both A
and B carbohydrates on Type O
their cells. ii blood
Blood Type Problems

If a woman with AB blood

has children with a man
who has type O, what will
be the possible genotypes
of their children? What will
be their blood types?

I A I B

i IA i IB i
i IA i IB i
Blood Type Problems

Blood Type Problem 2: A

woman with type B blood
has a child with type O
blood. How is this possible
if her husband has type A
blood?
Multiple Alleles

Refers to non-Mendelian pattern that involves more than just two

alleles that code for a certain characteristic
ABO blood groups in human

 Most common example of multiple allele

 Gene coding blood group has three alleles
rather than two
 These three alleles are the IA, IB, and i alleles
 We typically call these alleles “A”, “B” and “O”
 “I” stands for immunoglobin
 ABO blood groups in human
 Type A – where allele IA is present
- produces antigen A on the surface of the red blood cells
- antigen A produces antibodies against antigen B

 Type B - where allele IB is present

- produces antigen B on the surface of the red blood cells
- antigen B produces antibodies against antigen A

 Type AB - where allele IA and IB is present

- produces antigen A and B on the surface of the red blood cells
- antigens produces no antibodies
ABO blood groups in human
 Type O - does not have alleles i and I
-red blood cells have no antigen on the surface but it produces
antibodies against A and B

Agglutination- clumping of blood cells

- can cause notable shock and eventual death of the recipient of
blood
 Polygenic Traits
Require more than one gene (allele) to determine trait.

Ex:
• Height
• Skin color
• Eye Color
• Hair color
Epistasis

• The ability of one gene to overshadow or overpower the expression

of other genes.

• Occurs when genes at two different loci interact to affect the

expression of a single trait.

• A gene can either mask or modify the phenotype controlled by the

other gene.

• Examples: albinism, fur color in Labrador retrievers

 Labrador Retrievers
• Fur color in Labrador Retrievers is controlled by two separate
genes.
- Fur color is a polygenic trait!

Gene 1: Represented by B
: Controls color

Gene 2: Represented by E
: Controls expression of B
Labrador Retrievers

• If a Labrador retriever has a

dominant B allele, they will
have black fur.

• If they have two recessive

alleles (bb) they will have
brown fur.
Labrador Retrievers

• If a retriever receives at least one dominant “E” allele, they will remain
the color that the “B” allele coded for.
• Either black of brown

• However, if a dog receives a pair of homozygous recessive “e” alleles,

they will be golden regardless of their “B” alleles!
 Labrador Retrievers

• BBEE and BbEe --> Black retrievers

• bbEE and bbEe --> Brown retrievers
• BBee, Bbee, or bbee --> Golden retrievers
Gene Linkage
• What is gene linkage?
Genes that are located on the
same chromosome will be
inherited together.
– They travel together during
gamete formation.
This is the exception to
independent assortment
– The separation of one set of
alleles does not influence
another set
– in this case it actually does!
 Reginald Crundall Punnett (1875-1967)

• Punnett went to Cambridge University as a medical

student,but he graduated with a zoology degree in
1898.
• While at Cambridge, Punnett became interested in
the experimental process, and wrote to William
Bateson who was doing Mendelian experimentation
on plants and animals.
• This began a scientific collaboration which helped
establish "genetics" at Cambridge. Bateson and
Punnett published the first account of gene linkage
in sweet peas and Punnett developed the "Punnett
Square" to depict the number and variety of genetic
combinations.
 Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866-1945)

• a zoologist at Columbia University who conducted a

similar experiment on fruit flies (Drosophila
melanogatter).
• He discovered that the traits for body color and
wing shape do not assort independently.
• He explained that there are a number of genes
found on the same chromosomes. These genes are
close together in the same chromosomes, thus
trending or likely to be inherited together. This is
known as Gene Linkage.
• The strength of linkage of two genes is dependent
on the distance between each other on the
chromosome.
 SEX LINKAGE
Characters which are associate more with one gender
What is it?

• Sex Linkage is the phenotypic expression of an allele that is related to

the chromosomal sex of an individual

• Since there are far more genes on the X chromosome than the Y,
there are far more X linked traits that Y linked traits
 Sex-linked Inheritance
Genes for some traits are found on the sex
chromosomes (X or y)
Most of these traits are recessive the normal gene is
dominant
• Heterozygous Females (XXc) are carriers. They do not
show the trait, but carry a gene for the trait.
• Homozygous Females (XcXc) have the trait
• Males with the gene (XcY) have the trait.—They do not
have another X to counterbalance the affected gene
Hemophilia
Color blindness
 also known as color vision deficiency, is the
decreased ability to see color or differences
in color. Simple tasks such as selecting ripe fruit,
choosing clothing, and reading traffic lights can be
more challenging. Color blindness may also make
some educational activities more difficult. However,
problems are generally minor, and most people find
that they can adapt.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)

is a severe type of muscular dystrophy. The symptom

of muscle weakness usually begins around the age of four in
boys and worsens quickly.
Typically muscle loss occurs first in the thighs
and pelvis followed by those of the arms. This can result in
trouble standing up.
Most are unable to walk by the age of 12. Affected muscles
may look larger due to increased fat content. Scoliosis is also
common. Some may have intellectual disability. Females with
a single copy of the defective gene may show mild symptoms.
Sex-limited genes

are genes that are present in both sexes of sexually

reproducing species but are expressed in only one
sex and remain 'turned off' in the other. In other
words, sex-limited genes cause the two sexes to show
different traits or phenotypes, despite having the
same genotype.
Sex-influenced traits
They are traits that their genes are carried on
autosomes and the sex of individual acts to modify
their dominance where the act of these genes is
influenced by the hormones secreted from gonads of
adult males and females, Sometimes, the sex of living
organism acts to modify the dominance of some traits
that are called sex-influenced traits, such as the
presence of horns in cattle trait and genetic baldness
trait in humans .