125k views
3 votes
If you inherit half of your genes from your mother and half of your genes from your father, what percent of your genes did you inherit from each of your grandparents?

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

An individual inherits approximately 25% of their genes from each grandparent. Environmental factors and personal experiences further contribute to variations from parents. Nuclear DNA is inherited evenly from both parents, while mitochondrial DNA is solely from the mother.

Step-by-step explanation:

Every individual inherits 50% of their genes from each parent. Consequently, the genes you get from your mother will include half of her genetic material, of which 50% is derived from her father (your maternal grandfather) and 50% is derived from her mother (your maternal grandmother).

The same pattern applies to your father's contribution to your genes - half from your paternal grandfather and half from your maternal grandmother. Therefore, you inherit about 25% of your genes from each grandparent.

Personal experiences and the environment play significant roles in making you different from your parents despite the genetic similarities. These factors contribute to the unique expression of your genes, resulting in individual variations in appearance, personality, and other traits.

Moreover, it's important to distinguish between nuclear DNA, which follows the 50% inheritance from each parent, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is inherited exclusively from the mother.

User Nick Stamas
by
8.6k points
5 votes
Assuming that your mother and father inherited half of their mother/father's (Your Grandparents) genes, And your mother and father only passed on half of the genes they got from their mother/father's (Your Grandparents) Then the amount of genes you got from your grandparents is 1/8. The answer may vary depending on the situation.
User Rutvij Kothari
by
8.4k points