6.

3 Mendel and Heredity

KEY CONCEPT
Mendel’s research to what we know about genetics
today

Genetics: study of inheritance

patterns and variation.

“Father of Genetics”
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Mendel’s data laid the groundwork for genetics.

• Gregor Mendel showed that
traits are inherited as discrete
units. (without knowing about
DNA)
• Mendel made three key
decisions in his experiments.
– used purebred plants
– controlled breeding
– observed seven
“either-or” traits
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

• Mendel used pollen to fertilize selected pea plants

– P generation was crossed to produce F1 generation
– interrupted the self-pollination process by removing male
flower parts so he could control the traits through
pollination to create purebred plants.

Mendel controlled the He then fertilized the female

fertilization of his pea plants part, or pistil, with pollen from
by removing the male parts, a different pea plant.
or stamens.
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

• Mendel observed patterns in the first and second

generations of his crosses.
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

• Mendel drew three important conclusions

(Mendel’s Three Principles)

1. Dominant vs. Recessive
• Organisms inherit two
copies of each gene, one
from each parent.
purple white
• In many cases, one allele is
dominant (or expressed)
while the other is recessive
(or masked)
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Mendel’s 3 Principles (continued)

2. Segregation
• When meiosis makes sex cells, each cell has
only one allele
3. Independent Assortment
• Each trait is passed on independent of
other traits (creates variety!)
Ex: pod color green and seed color yellow
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Basic Genetics Vocabulary

• Chromosome
– DNA in coiled form
• Gene
– Segment of DNA
– Contains code for one trait
– Occur in pairs (one from each parent)
• Allele
-Any alternative form of a gene that may occur
at a specific gene locus (point)
6.3 Mendel and Heredity
Basic Genetics Vocabulary (continued)
• Genome
- all of an organism’s genetic material
• Genotype G = green pea
– Genetic makeup (the letters) g = yellow pea
– Example: GG, Gg, or gg
• Phenotype
– Physical makeup (description)
– Example: green or yellow pea
• Homozygous alleles:
– GG = homozygous dominant
– gg = homozygous recessive
• Heterozygous alleles: Gg
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

More info on vocabulary

• Some alleles are dominant over

others
• Therefore, 2 genotypes can produce
the dominant phenotype
• Homozygous dominant (GG) &
heterozygous (Gg) both produce
green peas
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Punnett Squares
• The Punnett square predicts the probability
of traits in offspring IF you know the
genotype of the parents.
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Probability
• The chances of an event happening
• May be expressed as a ratio, fraction, decimal,
or percent
Example
• Ratio: 1:2
• Fraction: ___
• Decimal: ___
• Percent: ___
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

A Monohybrid cross examines one trait.

• Example: Both parents are heterozygous

Genotypic Ratio:

Phenotypic Ratio:
6.3 Mendel and Heredity

Heredity patterns can be calculated with probability.

• Probability is the likelihood that something will happen.

number of ways a specific event can occur

• Probability =
number of total possible outcomes

• The more data you

have, the closer the
actual occurrence
will be to the
predicted
occurrence.
6.3 Mendel and Heredity
7.2 Codominance or Incomplete
Dominance
• In some traits, neither allele is dominant
• Example: Japanese four o’clock flowers
(incomplete dominance)
Notation:
white, red, pink
White Red Pink
WW RR WR (pink)
FwFw FRFR FwFR(red & white)
–for incomplete dominance phenotype is between
dominant & recessive (pink flowers)
-for codominance, both traits are expressed
(flowers will have red areas & white areas)