Genetic inheritance is the study of how genetic traits are passed down from parents to their offspring. This topic is a fundamental part of life sciences and is typically covered in Grade 12 biology courses.
There are two main types of genetic inheritance: Mendelian inheritance and non-Mendelian inheritance.
Mendelian inheritance refers to the way traits are passed down through dominant and recessive genes. Each gene in an organism comes in two copies, one from each parent. If the copies are the same (e.g., both dominant or both recessive), the trait will be expressed in the offspring. If the copies are different (one dominant and one recessive), the dominant trait will be expressed, and the recessive trait will be hidden.
Non-Mendelian inheritance refers to genetic traits that are not controlled by a single gene or follow a simple dominant/recessive pattern. For example, sex-linked traits (such as color blindness) are controlled by genes on the X chromosome and can be passed down from a carrier mother to her sons.
Other factors that can affect genetic inheritance include epigenetics (modifications to DNA that affect gene expression), gene linkage (when genes on the same chromosome are inherited together), and polygenic inheritance (when traits are controlled by multiple genes).
Overall, the study of genetic inheritance is crucial for understanding how traits are passed down from generation to generation and can help us better understand the causes and treatments of genetic disorders.