Take Inventory ofTake Inventory of Your Genetic TraitsYour Genetic Traits

bullHumans have 46 chromosomes in the nucleus of every cell 23 from each parent

bullEach chromosome consists of very tightly packed double helix DNA

bullGenes are stretches of DNA found on chromosomes

bullEach gene codes for a different physical trait

bullThe genes you inherit from your parents determine your physical traits

bullGenes and traits are considered dominant or recessive although in some cases it is not always clear

bullDominant traits occur when only one copy of the dominant gene is inherited

bullRecessive traits are usually rare because you need to inherit a recessive gene from both parents

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

bullHumans have 46 chromosomes in the nucleus of every cell 23 from each parent

bullEach chromosome consists of very tightly packed double helix DNA

bullGenes are stretches of DNA found on chromosomes

bullEach gene codes for a different physical trait

bullThe genes you inherit from your parents determine your physical traits

bullGenes and traits are considered dominant or recessive although in some cases it is not always clear

bullDominant traits occur when only one copy of the dominant gene is inherited

bullRecessive traits are usually rare because you need to inherit a recessive gene from both parents

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

bullGenes are stretches of DNA found on chromosomes

bullEach gene codes for a different physical trait

bullThe genes you inherit from your parents determine your physical traits

bullGenes and traits are considered dominant or recessive although in some cases it is not always clear

bullDominant traits occur when only one copy of the dominant gene is inherited

bullRecessive traits are usually rare because you need to inherit a recessive gene from both parents

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

bullThe genes you inherit from your parents determine your physical traits

bullGenes and traits are considered dominant or recessive although in some cases it is not always clear

bullDominant traits occur when only one copy of the dominant gene is inherited

bullRecessive traits are usually rare because you need to inherit a recessive gene from both parents

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

bullDominant traits occur when only one copy of the dominant gene is inherited

bullRecessive traits are usually rare because you need to inherit a recessive gene from both parents

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Male or Female

Male (XY) Female (XX) bull Your sex is determined by whether

you get an X or Y chromosome from your father Everyone receives an X from their mother

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Earlobes

bull Detached earlobes are believed to be dominant but more than one gene may be involved

bull Attached earlobes are considered recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Tongue Rolling bull Rolling bull Non-rolling

bull Rolling is thought to be bull Non-rolling is dominant but identical thought to be twin studies have cast recessive doubt on this observation

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Ear Wiggling Ear wiggling may be connected to tongue rolling in males

bull Can move ears = bull Canrsquot move ears = Dominant (although Recessive this may be variable)

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Dimples

bull Dimples are thought to be dominant

bull No dimples is recessive

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Hand Clasping Hand clasping is believed to be determined by genetic factors

although it is unclear if one trait is dominant over the other

bull Left Thumb on Top bull Right Thumb on Top

bull 55 of people bull 44 place their place their left right thumb on top thumb on top

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Cleft Chin

bull Cleft chins are bull No cleft is dominant although recessive

variable penetrance may influence

Department of Genetics Stanford University expression httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Widowrsquos Peak

bull A widowrsquos peak bull No widowrsquos peak is hairline is considered considered recessive dominant

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Hair on Middle Segment of Finger

bull Hair bull No Hair

bull The presence of bull No hair is recessive hair on the middle segment of any finger is dominant

httpwwwncbinlmnihgoventrezqueryfcgidb=OMIM

Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) Tasting

PTC is a bitter flavor compound that often causes people to dislike certain foods such as broccoli coffee or beer

bull PTC tasting is dominant bull Non-tasting is recessive

bull 75 of individuals can bull 25 of individuals find taste the bitter flavor of the paper tasteless PTC

Image Sources

Chromosomes and Genes The National Human Genome Research Institute wwwgenomegov Genes and Inherited Traits Pearson Education wwwpearsonedcom DominantRecessive Traits Cooperative Research Centre wwwgenecrcorg Male or Female The National Human Genome Research Institute wwwgenomegov Earlobes Windows to the Universe wwwwindowsucaredu Tongue Rolling Hand Clasping Genetic Science Learning Center at the Univ of Utah gslcgeneticsutahedu Ear Wiggling Dimples Cleft Chin Widowrsquos Peak amp PTC Tasting Microsoft Word Clip Art officemicrosoftcomclipart Hair on Middle Segment of Finger Koshland Science Museum wwwkoshlandscienceorg