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Which traits are more likely to affect men than women?

Correct answer: A. X-linked recessive

  • A. X-linked recessive
  • B. X-linked dominant
  • C. Autosomal dominant
  • D. Autosomal recessive

Explanation

Every man body has 23 pairs of chromosomes. One of these pairs is made up of 2 sex chromosomes. These are called X and Y chromosomes. One of these is inherited from the mother and the other from the father. Females have 2 X chromosomes, while males have 1 X and 1 Y chromosome. In females, the normal, unchanged, or healthy gene can override a recessive mutation so the disorder is suppressed. Disorders linked to X-linked recessive mutations usually only happen in females when they have 2 copies of the recessive mutation (1 on each X chromosome). In this case, there's no dominant "healthy" gene to override it. But, in males, there's only 1 X chromosome and if it has the recessive mutation, they will have the disorder. Recessive X-linked disorders tend to be more common in males because it's less likely that a female will get 2 copies of the recessive mutation. In females, dominant X-linked mutations will always cause the disorder. This is because the mutated gene takes over or overrides the genes on the healthy X chromosome. In males, remember, there's only 1 X chromosome and if it has the dominant mutation, they'll have the disorder. Mutations on autosomal chromosomes (22 pairs of chromosomes other than the sex chromosomes) will have an equal effect on both males and females.cell in the hu

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About Inheritance

Mendel's laws explain segregation, independent assortment and the prediction of genetic ratios using alleles, genotypes and phenotypes. The chapter also covers linked genes, recombination and crossing over during meiosis, then applies pedigree reasoning to X-linked recessive traits, which show different inheritance patterns in males and females.

Practise Inheritance

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