Pedigrees

Front

What is a pedigree?

Back

A pedigree is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors.

Front

What does it mean to be a carrier of a trait?

Back

A carrier is an individual who has one copy of a recessive allele that does not manifest as a phenotype but can pass the allele to offspring.

Front

How many alleles does a child inherit from each parent for a trait?

Back

A child inherits 1 allele from each parent for a trait, totaling 2 alleles.

Front

What is the purpose of using pedigrees in genetics?

Back

Pedigrees are used to track traits in families and determine the likelihood of offspring inheriting certain traits.

Front

What symbol is used to represent males in a pedigree chart?

Back

A square is used to represent males in a pedigree chart.

Front

What symbol is used to represent females in a pedigree chart?

Back

A circle is used to represent females in a pedigree chart.

Front

What does a filled symbol represent in a pedigree?

Back

A filled symbol represents an individual who expresses the trait being studied.

Front

What does a half-filled symbol represent in a pedigree?

Back

A half-filled symbol represents a carrier of the trait.

Front

How can you determine the number of generations in a pedigree?

Back

Count the horizontal rows of the pedigree chart; each row represents a generation.

Front

What is the significance of the horizontal lines connecting symbols in a pedigree?

Back

Horizontal lines connect symbols to indicate mating between individuals.