GeneticsinHarryPottersWorld Lesson2

BeyondMendelianInheritance GeneticsofMagicalAbility

RulesofInheritance

SometraitsfollowthesimplerulesofMendelian inheritanceofdominantandrecessivegenes.

Complextraitsfollowdifferentpatternsofinheritance thatmayinvolvemultiplesgenesandotherfactors. Forexample,

Incompleteorblendeddominance Codominance Multiplealleles Regulatorygenes Anyguessesonwhatthesetermsmaymean?

IncompleteDominance
Incompletedominanceresultsinaphenotypethatisa blendofaheterozygousallelepair. Ex.,Redflower+Blueflower=>Purpleflower

IfthedragonsinHarryPotterhavefirepowerallelesF (strongfire)andF(nofire)thatfollowincomplete dominance,whatarethephenotypesforthefollowing dragonfiregenotypes?

FF FF FF
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IncompleteDominance

Incompletedominanceresultsinaphenotypethatis ablendofthetwotraitsinanallelepair. Ex.,Redflower+Blueflower=>Purpleflower

IftheDragonsinHarryPotterhavefirepoweralleles F(strongfire)andF(nofire)thatfollowincomplete dominance,whatarethephenotypesforthe followingdragonfiregenotypes: Genotypes Phenotypes

FF FF FF

strongfire moderatefire(blendedtrait) nofire

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Codominance

Codominanceresultsinaphenotypethatshowsboth traitsofanallelepair. Ex.,Redflower+Whiteflower=>Red&White spottedflower

IfmerpeoplehavetailcolorallelesB(blue)andG (green)thatfollowthecodominanceinheritancerule, whatarepossiblegenotypesandphenotypes? Genotypes Phenotypes

Codominance
Codominanceresultsinaphenotypethatshowsboth traitsofanallelepair. Ex.,Redflower+Whiteflower=>Red&White spottedflower(bothtraits)

IfmerpeoplehavetailcolorallelesB(blue)andG (green)thatfollowthecodominanceinheritance rule,whatarepossiblegenotypesandphenotypes? Genotypes Phenotypes BB bluetail GG greentail BG blue&greentail(bothtraits)

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Multiplealleles
Multiplealleleshavemorethan2variations. Ex.,humanbloodtypehas3differentallelevariants, A,B,andO.

Genotypes AA,AO AB BB,BO OO

Phenotypes Abloodtype ABbloodtype Bbloodtype Obloodtype

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MultipleAlleles:HumanBloodtype
IfparentshaveA(AO)andB(BB)bloodtypes,whatarethe possiblegenotypesandphenotypesoftheirchildren?

MultipleAlleles:HumanBloodtype

IfparentshaveA(AO) andB(BB)bloodtypes, whatarepossible genotypesand phenotypesoftheir children? Genotypes:ABandBO Phenotypes:ABandB bloodtypes

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RegulatoryGenes

Regulatorygenesregulatetheexpressionofother genes. Forexample,aregulatorygenemaysilenceanother genefromexpressingitsdominanttrait.TheManxcat hasnotailbecauseithasaregulatorygenethat silencesthegenethatexpressesthetail.Thistail silencinggeneisdominantandhaspossiblealleles:

S=silencestailgene=notail(Manxcat) s=doesntsilencetailgene=hastail(nonManxcat)

Question:Can2Manxcatswithouttailshaveakitten withatail?ShowyouranswerusingPunnettSquare.
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RegulatoryGenes:ManxCat

Question:Can2Manxcatswithouttailshaveakitten withatail?ShowyouranswerusingPunnettSquare. Thepossibleallelesforthetailscilencinggeneare: S=notail(dominant) s=hastail(recessive)

Onlyifbothparentcatshavethe heterozygousgenotypeSs, thereisa25%chancefor theirhavingakittenwithatail.

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ComplexTraitsinHarryPotter

Whatkindofgeneinheritancemaybe responsibleforHagridsheightwhichisabout 12feet? WhatisthegenotypeforHarryseyecolor?If hehadanysiblings,whatcolorswouldtheir eyesbe?

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ComplexTrait:HagridsHeight

Hagridsfatherwasawizardandhismotherwasa giantess.Thenormalheightsforgiantsandwizards are:Giants=about20ft.&Wizard=56ft.

GiventhatHagridisdescribedtobeabout12ft.,what typeofgeneticinheritancemaybeatworkfor Hagridsheight?

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ComplexTrait:HagridsHeight

Hagridsfatherwasawizardandhismotherwasa giantess.Thenormalheightsforgiantsandwizards are:Giants=2025ft.&Wizard=56ft. GiventhatHagridisdescribedtoabout12ft.,what typeofgeneticinheritancemaybeatworkfor Hagridsheight?

Hagridsheightisclosetotheaverageoftheheightsofa wizardandagiantess,(5+20)/2=12.5ft,whichshows incompletedominance.

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ComplexTrait:HarrysEyes

Eyecolorinhumanshasmultiplealleles:
B=brown(codominantwithgreen) G=green(codominantwithbrown) b=blue(recessivetobothbrownandgreen)

DrawaPunnettSquarewithHarrysparents: assumingLilywithgreeneyes(GG)andJameswith hazeleyes(BG).

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ComplexTraits:HarrysEyes
Eyecolorinhumanshasmultiplealleles:
B=brown(codominantwithgreen) G=green(codominantwithbrown) b=blue(recessivetobothbrownandgreen)

DrawaPunnettsquarewithHarrysparents:Lilywith greeneyes(GG)andJameswithhazeleyes(BG).

Thereisa50%chancethat LilyandJameswouldhave achildwithgreenor hazeleyes.Harryinherited thegreeneyes.

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ComplexTraitActivity:MagicalAbility
(independentgroupactivity)

IntheHarryPotterseries,charactersarebornwithor withoutmagicalability.Thosewithmagicalabilityalso showverystrong,normalorweakability.

Assumingthatthemagicalabilityisinherited,identify thepossiblephenotypesandgenotypesofthe followingcharacters:Harry,Hermione,Ron, Dumbledore,AuntPetunia,andMr.Filch

Hints:Startbyidentifyingphenotypeswhichwillprovidepossible genotypes.AlsoconsiderwhethersimpleMendelianorcomplextraitsapply tothemagicalabilitytraits.

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ComplexTraitActivity:MagicalAbility
(guidedactivity)

IntheHarryPotterseries,charactersarebornwithor withoutmagicalability.Thosewithmagicalabilityalso showverystrong,normalorweakability.

Assumingthatthemagicalabilityisagenetictrait, whatarepossiblephenotypesandgenotypesofthe followingcharacters? Harry,Hermione,Ron,Dumbledore,AuntPetunia,and Mr.Filch

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MagicalAbility:PossiblePhenotypes

Howwouldyoudescribethefollowingcharacters magicalability?

Harry Hermione Ron Dumbledore AuntPetunia Mr.Filch

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MagicalAbility:PossiblePhenotypes

Howwouldyoudescribethefollowingcharacters magicalability? Harryhasstrongmagicalability Hermionehasstrongmagicalability Ronhasaveragemagicalability Dumbledorehasstrongmagicalability AuntPetuniahasnomagicalability Mr.Filchhasweakmagicalability

Thedescriptionsdivideintotwodifferentcategoriesof observabletraits1)expressionand2)strengthofmagicalability, whichmayindicatetwogenesresponsiblefortheability.

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MagicalAbility:PossiblePhenotypes
Howwouldyoudescribethefollowingcharacters magicalability?

Harryhasstrongmagicalability Hermionehasstrongmagicalability Ronhasaveragemagicalability Dumbledorehasstrongmagicalability AuntPetuniahasnomagicalability Mr.Filchhasweakmagicalability

Eachcategoryofmagicalabilitydescriptionrepresents ageneresponsibleforcertainobservabletraits:

Expressionhastheabilityordoesnthavetheability Strengthhasstrong,average,orweakmagicalability
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MagicalAbility:PossibleGenotypes

Whatarethepossiblegenotypesthatmaycorrespond tothe2genes(expressionandstrengthofmagical ability)below?

Gene1:expressionofmagicalability Expressed(witches&wizards) Notexpressed(Mugglesdonothavemagicalability) Gene2:strengthofmagicalability Strong Average Weak(i.e.,squibs)

Hint:ArethetwophenotypescomplextraitsandnotsimpleMendeliantraits? Ifso,whattypeofcomplextraitarethey?
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MagicalAbility:PossibleGenotypes

Whatarepossiblegenotypesforthephenotypesof expressedandnotexpressedmagicalability?

TwoMuggleparentscanhaveachildwithmagicalability,like Hermione Mugglesmusthaveageneformagicthatisnot expressedorsilencedbyanotherregulatorygene.

Thepossibleallelesforthesilencinggeneare:S(dominant)ors (recessive).Thegenotypesoftheallelepairforexpressedor notexpressedphenotypesare:

Expressed(witches&wizards)ss Notexpressed(Muggles)SS,Ss
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MagicalAbility:PossibleGenotypes

Whatarepossiblegenotypesforthephenotypesof thestrengthofmagicalability?

Therearethreephenotypesdescribedforthestrengthof magicalability:strong,average,orweak. Givenstrong+weak=average,themagicalstrengthgenewith M(strongability)andM(weakability)allelesaffectedby incompletedominancecanproducethegenotypes correspondingtothethreedifferentphenotypes: StrongabilityMM AverageabilityMM(incompletedominance) Weakability(i.e.,squibs)MM

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MagicalAbility:PossibleGenotypes

Summaryofphenotypesandgenotypes formagicalability

Therearetwogenesrelatedtomagicalability. Possiblegenotypesofthetwogenes(twopairsof alleles)are:

Expressed(witches&wizards)ss Notexpressed(muggles)Ss,SS(silencinggene)

StrongMM Good/normalMM(incompletedominance) Weak(i.e.,squibs)MM

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MagicalGenes:Summaryof2Genes

Mustbesstohavemagicalability:
MMss=verypowerfulwizard MMss=averagewizard MMss=veryweakwizard(orsquib)

IfyouhaveatleastoneSyouareaMuggle:
MMSs,MMSs,MMSs=aMugglewhocouldhavechildren withmagicalabilitywithaspousewithatleastones MMSS,MMSS,MMSS=aMugglewhowouldneverhave childrenwithmagicalability

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MagicalAbility:CharactersGenotypes

Usingthegenotypesummary,whatarepossible genotypesofeachcharacter?

Harry:strongmagicalability(MMss) Hermione:averagemagicalability(MMss) Ron:averagemagicalability(MMss) Dumbledore:strongmagicalability(MMss) AuntPetunia:nomagicalability(MMSs,MMSs, MMSs,MMSS,MMSS,MMSS) Mr.Filch:weakmagicalability(MMss)

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MagicRunsinFamilies

Answerthefollowingquestionsandprovidereasoning foryouranswers:

HermionespossiblegenotypeisMMss,indicating

herstrongmagicalability.Whatarepossible genotypesofHermionesparentswhoareMuggles withouttheability? HarryPottermarriedGinnyWeasley.Willallof theirchildrenhavemagicalability? CouldDudleyDursleypotentiallyhavechildrenwith magicalability?

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HermionesParents

Question:WhatarepossiblegenotypesofHermiones parentswhoareMuggles(nomagicalability)?

HermionesgenotypeisMMss.
ForHermionesinheritedss,bothofherMuggleparents musthaveSs. ForHermionesinheritedMM,bothparentsmayhaveMM orMM,butneitherparentscanhaveMMallelepair.

Hermionesparentspossiblegenotypesare:
MMSs,orMMSs

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HarryandGinnysChildren

Question:WillallofHarryandGinnyschildrenhave magicalability?

Parentsmagicalgenes:
HarrysgenotypeisMMss. GinnysgenotypemaybeMMssorMMss.

HarrysandGinnyschildrensgenotypes:
SinceHarryandGinnyeachhasanssallelepair,theycan onlypasssallelestotheirchildren.Therefore,alloftheir childrenhavinginheritedssallelepair,havemagicalability.

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DudleysChildren
Question:CouldDudleyDursleypotentiallyhave childrenwithmagicalability? Dudleysparentsgenotypes:
VernonDursleyisaboutasmagiclessasonecanget.So letsassumeVernonsgenotypeisMMSS. PetuniassisterLilyPotterhadmagicalability.So,Petunia canhaveagenotypeofSSorSsallelepair.

Dudleysgenotypes:
IfDudleyinheritedSallelefrombothparents,hecannot havekidswithmagicalability. IfDudleyinheritedansallelefromPetunia,hecanhavekids withmagicalabilitywithaMugglewithanSsallelepair,ora witchpossessinganssallelepair.
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