Gregor Mendel

      Largely responsible for the development of the concept of the gene.

     High school substitute teacher and monk who lived in a monastery in what is now the Czech Republic.

 

     Studied heredity of the garden pea (1856-1863).

     Published his findings in a local natural history journal in 1866.

 

     Few people paid any attention to the article until 1900 when three biologists independently cited it.

 

 

Mendel’s Experiments

     He chose an ideal model system to study heretibility, the garden pea.

                    -small

                    -easily cultured                                       

                   -short life span

                   -exhibits great variability

                   -true-breeding strains

     He carefully recorded his data.

     He formed testable hypotheses.

     He tested his hypotheses using numerical analysis.

     He examined seven traits in the garden pea.

 

 

 

Monohybrid cross

     A cross involving  two contrasting traits of one character.

 

    -(Monohybrid Cross Diagram)
 

    -Explanation for results of Monohybrid cross    

     (diagram)

 

 

 

Test Cross

    To distinguish the genotype of the individuals possessing the dominant phenotype in the F2 generation.

    Cross the individual with the dominant phenotype with a homozygous recessive individual.

    Expected results- DD X dd = Dd (Tall)

                             -  Dd X  dd =1/2 Dd (Tall) ,1/2 dd (Dwarf)                               

Ø Phenotypic ratio =1:1   

 

 

Mendel’s First Three Postulates

     Unit Factors in Pairs-Genetic traits are controlled by unit factors (genes) which exist in pairs in individual organisms.

 

     Dominance/ Recessiveness- When unit factors are contrasting, one is dominant to the other which is recessive.

 

     Segregation- Unit factors segregate randomly during gametogenesis.

 

 

 

 

 

Dihybrid Cross

     A genetic cross involving two characters.

1.    seed color: yellow and green                                                          

2.     seed shape : smooth and wrinkled

 

      P1:          yellow, smooth  X green, wrinkled

 

      F1:            yellow, smooth X yellow, smooth

 

      F2:       (9/16) yellow, smooth      (3/16)green, smooth        (3/16) yellow, wrinkled   (1/16) green, wrinkled

 

 

  

      If,  P1 :  yellow, wrinkled  X green, smooth  

                  

            F1 :  yellow, smooth

 

            F2:     9:3:3:1

 

Ø       Results remain the same

 

 

 

 

Punnett Square (diagram)

 

 

 

 

 

Explanation for results of the Dihybrid cross

     1 Dihybrid cross, = 2 monohybrid crosses

     Product law- “When two independent events occur simultaneously, the combined probability of the two outcomes is = to the product of their individual probabilities of occurrence.”

     E.g. yellow (3/4), smooth (3/4) = 9/16 yellow, smooth   

             yellow (3/4), wrinkled (1/4) = 3/16 yellow, wrinkled

           green (1/4), smooth (3/4) =      3/16 green, smooth

             green (1/4), wrinkled (1/4) =  1/16 green, wrinkled

 

 

 

Law of Independent Assortment
Mendel’s fourth postulate-derived from the results of dihybrid crosses:

    During gamete formation, segregating pairs of unit factors assort independently of each other.

-       All possible combinations of  gametes will be formed with             

    equal frequency.

 

 

 

 

Test Cross

    To distinguish the genotype of individuals possessing the dominant phenotype.

 

    Dihybrid test cross ratio = 1:1:1:1

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

Trihybrid cross

      Three- factor cross

      The processes of segregation and independent assortment applies as in  monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.

 

      P1   AABBCC  X aabbcc

      F1   AaBbCc  X AaBbCc

      F2  27:9:9:9:3:3:3:1 ratio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explanation of Trihybrid cross results

     Forked-line method or Branched diagram --“product law” is applied (fig.3.10).

     Crosses involving 2 or more gene pairs                

          -Determine the # of heterozygous gene pairs =(n).

          -2n = # of different gametes formed.

          -3n= # of different genotypes formed.

 -2n= # of different phenotypes formed.

 

 

 

A note on probability

 

     Probability = no. times event is expected / no. times event is possible.

 

     Product Law of Probability: “The probability of two independent events occuring sumultaneously is equal to the product of their separate probabilities.” ––Applies to “and” statements.

 

     Sum Law of Probability:“The probability of either one or the other of two mutually exclusive events is the sum of their individual probabilities.” –– applies to “or” statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Chi-square Analysis

·    Pedigree Analysis In Humans