Name: _________________________ Date: ____________ Period: _____

What are some of the genetic traits you and your classmates share?

Human Genetic Traits Lab

4enetics is the study o% the "echanis"s o% heredity5 !tated another way3 it is the study o% the ways traits or characteristics are passed on %ro" generation to generation5 People di%%er %ro" each other in the e)pression o% these traits6 thus3 e)pressing their own indi-iduality and uni7ueness5 In this e)ercise3 we will e)a"ine in "ore detail in a %ew characteristics that are known to be controlled by our genes5 As we re-iew se-eral genetic traits e)pressed in our bodies3 circle the appropriate gene sy"bols in the table below that apply to you5

TRAIT Tongue roller Widows peak Free earlobe Taste PT !traight thu"b $ent little %inger &id'digital hair present (i"ples present !hort hallu) *big toe+ , relati-e to .nd toe !hort inde) %inger

GENE SYMBOL R W E T #i $% & ( #a !!

GENE SYMBOL r/r w/w e/e t/t hi/hi b%/b% "/" d/d ha/ha !I

TRAIT Inability to roll tongue No Widows peak Attached Earlobe Inability to taste PT #itchhikers thu"b !traight little %inger
Absence o% "id'digital hair

Absence o% di"ples /ong hallu) *big toe+ , relati-e to .nd toe /ong inde) %inger

Tongue Rolling Atte"pt to roll your tongue into a 012 shape3 in which the sides o% your tongue are curled upwards

*Figure A on $iophoto !heet+5 Tongue rollers carry a do"inant gene R5 Widows Peak A do"inant gene W causes the hairline to %or" a distinct downward point in the center o% the %orehead5 $aldness will "ask the e)pression o% this gene5 With the aid o% a "irror or a class"ate3 deter"ine whether or not you ha-e inherited a Widows Peak *Figure $+5 Earlobe A a!"#en The inheritance o% a do"inant gene E results in the %ree o% unattached earlobe *Figure 8+5 I% the lobe is attached directly to the head3 the recessi-e3 or e/e gene has been inherited *Figure .+5 9ther genes3 working alone or together3 a%%ect the si:e and shape o% the earlobe5 (eter"ine the gene sy"bol %or your earlobes5 PT$ Tas ing Phenylthiocarba"ide *PT + is a har"less che"ical in s"all 7uantities5 To indi-iduals with the do"inant gene T3 it tastes undesirably bitter5 Indi-iduals who cannot taste PT are ho"o:ygously recessi-e3 t/t5 %i !""ikers T"u#b !o"e indi-iduals can bend the last ;oint o% the thu"b backwards at about a <= degree angle5 These indi-iduals are ho"o:ygous %or a recessi-e gene hi3 but there is considerable -ariation in the e)pression o% the gene5 For our purposes3 we shall consider those who cannot bend at least one thu"b backwards at a <= degree angle3 are carrying the do"inant gene5 Ben Li le &inger The do"inant gene $% causes the ter"inal bone o% the little %inger to bend towards the %ourth *ring+ %inger5 Indi-iduals whose little %ingers are straight possess the ho"o:ygous recessi-e condition3 b%/b%5 heck %or this characteristic by laying your hands %lat on the desk and rela)ing the" *Figure E+5 Mid'digi al %air The presence o% hair on the "iddle seg"ent o% the %ingers is caused by a do"inant gene3 & *Figure F+5 The ho"o:ygous recessi-e condition3 "/"3 results in the lack or absence o% hair on the "iddle seg"ents5 E)a"ine your hands closely and re"e"ber to "ark your proper gene sy"bol in the table5 &a!ial (i#)les The inheritance o% cheek di"ples is controlled by a do"inant gene ( *Figure 4+5 The d/d gene condition lacks the ability to e)press %acial di"ples5 !"ile in the "irror or %or a class"ate to deter"ine your gene sy"bol5 %allu* Leng " The length o% the big toe *hallu)+ is go-erned by the gene #a5 Indi-iduals whose hallu) is shorter than the second toe possess the do"inant gene #a *Figure #+5 The inheritance o% the ho"o:ygous recessi-e3 ha/ha3 results in the big toe being longer than or e7ual to the second toe5 (eter"ine your gene sy"bol and record it in the table5 Inde* &inger Leng " Rela) your right hand on this sheet o% paper so your "iddle %inger lies on top o% line ) *below+ and the end o% your %ourth %inger *ring %inger+ is in line with line y5 I% your second %inger *inde) %inger+ does not reach to the top o% line y or beyond3 you ha-e a short second %inger in relationship to the length o% your %ourth %inger *Figure I+5 The gene %or short second %inger3 !! 3is se)' in%luenced in its e)pression *like baldness+ and is do"inant in "ales and recessi-e in %e"ales5 >

$lass (a a S"ee + %,MAN GENETI$ TRAITS

GENETI$ TRAIT Tongue Roller Widows Peak Free Earlobe Taste PT !traight Thu"b $ent /ittle Finger &id'digital #air Present (i"ples Present !hort $ig Toe !hort Inde) Finger Total Nu"ber o% !tudent in 9ur lass@ AAAAAAAAAAA - o. ST,(ENTS (OMINANT / (OMINANT - o. ST,(ENTS RE$ESSI0E / RE$ESSI0E

To calculate B C Take nu"ber o% students with traits and di-ide by the total nu"ber o%

students in the class5 &ulitply by 8DD and this is your percent5 E)a"ple@ .. (o"inant/ ED !tudents Total C D5FE ) 8DD C FEB reate a bar graph o% your results on the attached graph paper5 $e sure to title your graph and label each a)is5