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Patterns of Inheritance
Destinations

Understanding how genes are inherited is an increasingly important factor in understanding inherited diseases and disorders in humans. This knowledge may also lead to new therapies for treating or even curing many of these diseases. The links that follow provide information that will help you understand the basics of inheritance, including Mendel's experiments, the patterns of heredity, and some of the complexities of gene interactions.

1) What Is the Physical Basis of Inheritance?

Recessive and Dominant Inheritance: The study of inheritance is where genetics got its start. This site discusses the concept of dominant and recessive inheritance.

2) What Was Mendel's Contribution?

MendelWeb: Nearly everything you want to know about Mendel and his experiments can be found at this site. It contains a copy of his paper, which in many ways marked the beginnings of the modern science of genetics. One of the links at this site has wonderful, color photographs of the monastery in which Mendel studied pea plants.

3) What Were the Results of Mendel's Experiments?

Mendel's Garden Pea Experiment: This site discusses the garden pea experiment that Mendel is famous for.

The Garden Pea: Wondering exactly how you grow peas? This short page about garden pea plants and culture has a beautiful picture of a garden pea plant.

4) What Did Mendel's Findings Reveal about Inheritance?

Mendel's Results: Learn about Mendel's Law of Segregation and how to use a Punnett square.

5) Are Multiple Traits Inherited Together?

The Human Genome: You can learn about some of the genes that have been studied on human chromosomes. As you select more detailed information, you can eventually learn the nucleotide sequence of the gene.

The Yeast Genome: Yeast is the only eukaryotic cell whose entire genome has been sequenced. At this site, you can view a diagram of all of the chromosomes in a yeast cell, with some of the genes shown. If you click on a chromosome, you can get a more detailed view of that chromosome, with more of the gene locations shown. If you click on a gene, you can get the nucleotide sequence of that gene.

6) How Are Genes Located on the Same Chromosome Inherited?

Genetic Recombination: Check out this site for a good description of recombination with some graphics. This page is part of a large site devoted to biotechnology issues. Click on the home page to see more choices for information.

7) How Is Sex Determined?

Chromosome Gallery: What do the X and Y chromosomes look like? Find out here. By clicking on the diagram called an ideogram, you can retrieve information about the genes on that region of the chromosome.

Human Genome Map: Want to know which genes are on your favorite chromosome? This site, up to date as of 1996, presents a summary of some genes on human chromosomes, including the X and Y chromosomes.

Searching the Y Chromosome: This site, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, summarizes research into the nature of genes on the Y chromosome. In addition to SRY, a key gene in sex determination, other genes on the Y are important for sperm development.

Genes on the Y Chromosome: A news release describes the work of David Page and colleagues in mapping genes on the Y chromosome.

The SRY Gene: The protein encoded by the SRY gene is a key determinant of whether a fetus will develop as male or female. At this site, you can see a model of this protein as it binds to DNA to help turn on the genes needed for male development and explore links to more detailed information about this gene. Don't get confused—the gene was once called TDF.

David Page: This site describes research concerning sex determination by MIT professor David Page. You can also link to Dr. Page's home page from here.

8) How Are Sex-Linked Genes Inherited?

Color Vision Research: This site focuses on the work of Jeremy Nathans, a major researcher into the molecular nature of color vision. This page is part of a larger site that deals with senses in general. The site is VERY graphics intensive; you may want to turn off the automatic loading of pictures to download the information faster.

Muscular Dystrophy: This page lists a comprehensive collection of sites related to muscular dystrophy. You can follow a link from here to the Muscular Dystrophy Society of America site. The home page of this site is called The Family Village and contains information about many conditions and diseases that affect humans.

9) What Are Some Variations on the Mendelian Theme?

Genes, Gender, and Genetic Disorders: This site contains a summary of lectures by Howard Hughes Medical researchers Shirley Tilghman and Robert Nussbaum concerning the genetic determination of sex. Click on the "About the Research" button to learn about sex determination. The Hughes sites are very graphics intensive and can take a long time to download. You may want to turn off the automatic loading of graphics on your browser.

Tissue Typing: In humans, the genes that determine tissue compatibility (HLA genes) have as many as 22 alleles. It is the combination of alleles for these genes that determine whether an individual can receive a tissue transplant from another individual. The genes encode proteins referred to as antigens. This site summarizes the basics of tissue typing and illustrates particularly well how important multiple alleles can be.

Blood Banks: This is an interesting site with information about blood donation and the kinds of tests that are carried out to try to keep our blood supply safe.

10) How Are Human Genetic Disorders Investigated?

Pedigree Construction: Although it is slightly technical, this is a comprehensive site with examples describing how human pedigrees are constructed and interpreted.

11) How Are Single-Gene Disorders Inherited?

Sickle Cell Trait: This is the Family Village site for sickle-cell trait. It provides a collection of links to many relevant sites for understanding the cause, symptoms, and treatment of sickle-cell anemia.

Sickle Cell Disease: This site provides comprehensive information about sickle-cell disease presented by the March of Dimes Foundation.

Huntington Disease: This well-designed site provides information about the history, symptoms, and genetics of Huntington disease.

12) How Do Errors in Chromosome Number Affect Humans?

Chromosomal Abnormalities: This Family Village Website covers a variety of disorders caused by abnormal numbers of chromosomes, including the sex chromosomes. See other sites for additional information about Turner Syndrome, Klinefelter's Syndrome, and Down Syndrome.