Answer to Question #165971 in Genetics for maryam

Question

How do scientists describe the mechanisms (ways) by which genes are inherited (passed down) from parents to children?

the answer must include the following terms:

trait

gamete

dominant

recessive

homologous chromosomes

meiosis

homozygous

heterozygous

allele

inheritance

genotype

phenotype

fertilization

Answer 1

Inheritance is passing on of traits from parents to their offspring through sexual reproduction. Meiosis occurs in reproductive cells to create haploid gametes that will be used in fertilization. The union of male and female gamete form a cell with two set of chromosomes. Organisms inherit genetic materials from their parents in form of homologous chromosome. The expression of traits in an offspring is determined by dominant and recessive genes. If one or both parents pass on a dominant gene to the child,then the dominant gene will be expressed. Inherited traits are controlled by genes. complete set of genes are genotype while complete set of observable traits of structure and behavior is the phenotype. Humans are diploid organisms having two alleles at each genetic locus with one allele inherited from each parent. Individual carrying two identical alleles are homozygous while individuals carrying different alleles are heterozygous.