Beaconhouse School System

Johar Town Campus

Topic: Genetics
Name: ______________________________
Subject: Biology/5090

Date: _______________

INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE:
An organisms genes will create phenotype that is affected by dominance, but it never affects how
these genes are inherited. When it is not possible to tell the difference between the homozygous
phenotype and the heterozygous phenotype, it's called complete dominance. In some cases, the
heterozygote will have a phenotype that is in between the phenotypes of both parents (one of this
will be dominant and the other one will be recessive). This intermediate phenotype is called
incomplete dominance. In this case, the offspring may show a variety of phenotypes along a
continuum bracketed by the parental phenotypes.
Take an example of two flowers, one of white color and the other one of red. None of these colors is
fully dominant. When a cross is made between homozygous white flowers and homozygous red
flowers, it will result in a variety of pink-shaded phenotypes. It is still important to understand that
partial or incomplete dominance is not the same thing as blending inheritance. The main difference
is that how these alleles are inherited won't change, but the way these alleles explain phenotype will
be different when they are combined.

Compiled by: Ahmed Kalim Niazi

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Biology/5090

CODOMINANCE:
In order to understand the difference between incomplete dominance and codominance,it is
important to understand exactly what codominance means. It actually refers to a situation when the
phenotypes of both homozygous parents are expressed at the same time. In simple words, it occurs
when the offspring receives an allele from each parent but the offspring demonstrates both
phenotypes. The human ABO blood group system is a good example of codominance.The types of
blood proteins determine your blood type, and the ABO protein system means you can only receive
specific type of blood in a transfusion. Not paying enough attention to the blood proteins in a
person's blood cells will lead to serious complications.
In the ABO system, there are three basic alleles, and they are further segregated into six genotypes.
Here's a table explaining blood types and possible ABO genotypes
.
Blood
Type

Related
Genotype(s)

AA or AO

BB or BO

AB

AB

OO

It is clear from the table that the six possible ABO genotypes can result in four phenotypes. To
understand this phenomenon, it is important to first understand the A and B alleles code for proteins
available on the surface of your red blood cells also bear in mind that the third allele (O) codes for
no protein. It means that if one parent has type A blood and the other one has type B, the child will
have a new phenotype called type AB. It also implies that it is possible to notice the equal amount of
A and B proteins on the surface of red blood cells in a person with type AB blood. It means you
cannot tag this phenotype as an intermediate of the two parents, but its a completely new
phenotype, which is the outcome of codominance of the A and B alleles.

Compiled by: Ahmed Kalim Niazi

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Biology/5090

Difference Between Incomplete Dominance and Codominance

It would be easier to understand the difference between incomplete dominance and codominanceby
paying attention to a few important points. Here's a table for your understanding:
Incomplete Dominance

Codominance

You will notice that the effect of one

allele will be more noticeable

Effect of both alleles will be equally

noticeable

You see the fine mixture of the

expressions of both alleles

You won't notice any mixing of the effect

of both alleles

You will notice the effect in hybrid is in

the middle or intermediate of both
alleles

Both alleles will express them

independently

The expressed phenomenon won't have

any allele of its own

The expressed phenotype will show the

combination of both alleles and
phenotypes

Any incompletely dominant allele will

have quantitative effect

There will be no quantitative effect

Compiled by: Ahmed Kalim Niazi

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Biology/5090