Genes and Traits Dallas Paulk History Gregor Mendel

Genes and Traits Dallas Paulk

History • Gregor Mendel is considered the “Father of genetics” • Mendel was an Austrian monk who lived in the 1800’s • Mendel used a pea plant to experiment with genetics.

Similarities • You may have a friend that looks like one of their parents. They may share the same eyes, hair color, smile or skin color. • These are called characteristics. Many characteristics of organisms are passed down from their offspring. • An offspring is when all plants and animals reproduce or make more of their kind.

Traits • In many humans and animals, hair color, fur color or eye color is an inherited trait. • An Inherited Trait is a characteristic passed down from parent(s) to their offspring(s). • Organisms get some of their traits from its dad and some of its traits from its mom. Each organism receives a different combination of traits from both parents. • This is why siblings all look similar or a like, because they get different combinations of traits and genes from their parents.

Genes • Each trait is controlled by a pair of genes. • Genes contain the DNA codes for all the traits an organism inherits. • Genes are on chromosomes. The genes for a particular trait always occupy the same place on a chromosome. • Gene combinations determined if traits are seen (dominate traits) or hidden (recessive traits).

• Lets Watch a video so that you may get a full understanding of genes! • Genetics

Recessive and Dominant Traits • Sometimes an offspring has a trait that it doesn’t seem to have inherited from its parents. For example, two brown-haired parents have a baby with blonde hair. How can that be? • Organisms have two kinds of traits, recessive and dominant traits. • Recessive trait is a weak trait and the parent has to have two of these traits to show in its offspring, otherwise the trait will not show. • Dominant trait is a strong trait and over takes the weak trait. Your parent only need one dominant trait for it to show in its offspring.

Example on how dominant traits work • Brown eyes in humans is a dominant trait. • Blue eyes in humans is a recessive trait. • If a child receives a brown-eyed gene from its mother and a blue-eyed gene from its father, the child will have brown eyes. This is because the child has at least one gene that will successfully make the brown eye. The brown eyed gene is said to be dominant because it is seen in the child or offspring.

Do you have recessive or dominant trait? 1. • 2. • Can You roll your tongue? If you can, you have a dominant trait. Clasp your hands together without thinking about it. If your left thumb is on top of your right thumb you have the dominant trait. 3. Lay both hands on the table and relax your fingers. • If your pinky finger automatically bends inward toward your ring finger you have a dominant trait.

Behavioral traits v. Behavioral traits can also be passed from parent to offspring. v. An example of an inherited behavior in animals, is in dogs. v. Dogs instinctually know how to swim, this is a behavior they get from its parents. v However humans do not get this behavior from its parents, it must be learned or is environmental.

Game Time! Match Parent to its Offspring

Practice Questions to Know What are genes? What are traits? The genetic traits that a parent passes to its offspring are called ______ traits. How do Organisms get their traits? How are similarities passed from parent to offspring? April is a fifth grade girl. She has short brown hair and brown eyes. She also loves to read and play volleyball. Based on these characteristics, which can most likely be concluded about April’s parents?