1. Module 6

Introduction

Module 6—Mendelian Genetics: The Transmission of Traits to the Next Generation

Introduction

 

You expect to resemble your parents and your other ancestors, yet you are a little bit different. How did you inherit the traits in common with your ancestors?

 

A monk working with pea plants in a garden discovered how traits are inherited. If it were not for Gregor Mendel and the garden pea, genetics might still be in the Dark Ages. Using the simple garden pea, Mendel developed evidence for the basic principles of genetics.

 

In this module you will explore the concepts of dominance, segregation, and independent assortment. You will analyze ratios and probabilities of genotypes and phenotypes to examine many other possible ways traits can be transmitted from generation to generation. You will discover how variability can be dependent on the number of genes involved in a trait, crossing over, and gene linkage. You will also learn why some traits, like hemophilia, are more common in males than in females. There are many tools that can be used to study the transmission of traits. You will have the opportunity to use these tools in your study of some common heritable traits.

 

In the Biology 30 Course Introduction, several resources, including The Key and Student Notes and Problems Workbook: Biology 30, were recommended to you for additional support. As you work through Module 6, you may find the sample problems in these resources particularly helpful. There are many helpful resources at the McGraw-Hill Ryerson online learning centre at www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/espv2/data/genetics/index.html.