Genetic Symbols

SYMBOLS: THE LANGUAGE OF GENETICS
Law (Principle) of Dominance

The law (principle) of dominance states that some alleles are dominant whereas others are recessive.
 An organism with a dominant allele for a particular trait will always have that trait expressed (seen) in the organism.
 An organism with a recessive allele for a particular trait will only have that trait expressed when the dominant allele is not
present.
Since organisms received one gene for a chromosome pair from each parent, they can be heterozygous or homozygous for each trait.
 When an organism has two identical alleles for a particular trait that organism is said to be homozygous for that trait.
o Both are dominant or both are recessive
 When an organism has two different alleles for a particular trait that organism is said to be heterozygous for that trait.
o One is dominant and one is recessive.
The genotype (genetic makeup) of an organism reveals the type of alleles that an organism has inherited for a particular trait. The
genotype for a particular trait is usually represented by a letter, the capital letter (first letter of the dominant trait) representing the
dominant gene and the lower-case letter (first letter) of the dominant trait) representing the recessive gene.
 TT represents a homozygous dominant genotype.
 tt represents a homozygous recessive genotype.
 Tt represents a heterozygous genotype.
The phenotype (physical characteristics) of an organism is a description of the way that a trait is expressed in the organism.
 Organisms with genotypes of TT or Tt would have a phenotype of tall.
 Organisms with a genotype of tt would have a phenotype of short.
Using the rules, complete the following chart of the traits Gregor Mendel studied in pea plants.
Dominant: tall stems, colored seed coats, green pods, yellow seeds, round seeds, axial flowers
Recessive: short stems, white seed coats, yellow pods, green seeds, wrinkled seeds, terminal flowers
height coats pods seed color shape flower
Dominant
Recessive
1. Using the symbols from the chart above write the gene pairs that would be present in the following homozygotes. Next, indicate
whether they are dominant or recessive homozygotes.
GENE PAIR DOMINANT/RECESSIVE
tall stemmed plants
terminal flowers
white seed coats
wrinkled seeds
yellow pods
2. Write the symbols for the following heterozygotes (also called ____________________).
yellow seeded peas ______________________ colored seed coats ______________________
axial flowers ______________________ round seeds ______________________
green podded peas ______________________ tall stemmed peas ______________________
3. What are the phenotypes of the following garden pea dihybrids?

TtCc ________________________________ AaRr ________________________________
GgYy ________________________________ TtAa ________________________________
IDENTIFYING GENTEIC SYMBOLS
Circle the examples of each of the following terms.
1. Dominant gene 4. Hybrid trait (heterozygous gene pairs)
s R c T a L i Rr Tt GG aa ii Cc Ll
2. Recessive gene 5. Pure dominant trait (homozygous dominant)
l c T M y g A Ss Bb LL GG aa gg Aa
3. Pure trait (homozygous gene pairs) 6. Pure recessive trait
SS Tt Gg TT cc Mm Aa ll TT SS Gg yy tt Bb
Law (Principle) of Segregation
The law (principle) of segregation explains how alleles are separated during meiosis.
 Each gamete receives one of the two alleles that the parent carries for each trait. Each gamete has the same chance of
receiving either one of the alleles for each trait.
 During fertilization (when sperm and egg unite), each parent organism donates one copy of each gene to the offspring.
Law (Principle) of Independent Assortment

The law (principle) of independent assortment states that the segregation of the alleles of one trait does not affect the segregation of
the alleles of another trait.
 Genes on separate chromosomes separate independently during meiosis.
 This law holds true for all genes unless the genes are linked. In this case, the genes that do not independently segregate during
gamete formation, usually because they are in close proximity on the same chromosome.
The principles of Mendelian genetics can be used to predict the inherited traits of offspring. A Punnett square can be used to predict
the probable genetic combinations in the offspring that result from different parental allele combinations that are independently
assorted.
 A monohybrid cross examines the inheritance of one trait. The cross could be homozygous-homozygous, heterozygous-
heterozygous, or heterozygous-homozygous.
 The Punnett square example represents the probable outcome of two heterozygous parents with the trait for height: T =
dominant tall, t = recessive short (Tt x Tt). The parents are the F1 generation; the resulting offspring possibilities are the F2
generation.
The square shows the following genotypes are possible:

o There is a 1:4 ratio (25%) that an offspring will carry two dominant alleles.
o There is a 1:4 ratio (25%) that an offspring will carry two recessive alleles.
o There is a 2:4 or 1:2 ratio (50%) that an offspring will carry one dominant allele and one
recessive allele.
The square also shows the following phenotypes are possible:

o There is a 3:4 ratio (75%) that an offspring will express the tall trait.
o There is a 1:4 ratio (25%) that an offspring will express the short trait.
USING PUNNETT SQUARES
1. In guinea pigs, black coloring (B) is dominant over white (b). A pure black guinea pig (BB) is crossed with a pure white
(bb).
A. Parental Cross B. Punnett Square: C. Questions
Genotype ratio:
Phenotype ratio:
2. Two hybrid guinea pigs are crossed.

Genotype ratio:
Phenotype ratio:
3. Two guinea pigs, one that shows the hybrid trait for color and one that is pure white, are crossed.
Genotype ratio:
Phenotype ratio:
4. When a trait with two forms of the gene shows incomplete dominance, the hybrid appearance (phenotype) is a blend of the two
forms. In four o’clock plants, the flowers may be white or red in the pure-bred plants. But, in the hybrid the flowers are pink and
therefore show incomplete dominance. Symbolize the genotypes of these three types of plants.
Red flowered plants: __________ Pink flowered plants: __________ White flowered plants: __________
If a pure red four o’clock flower (RR) is crossed with a pure white one (WW) the resulting flowers are
pink (RW). If two pink four o’clocks are crossed, what percent of the offspring will be red? Pink?
White?
If a pink four o’clock is crossed with a white one, what percent of their offspring will be red? Pink?
White?

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SYMBOLS: THE LANGUAGE OF GENETICS

Law (Principle) of Dominance

3. What are the phenotypes of the following garden pea dihybrids?

Law (Principle) of Independent Assortment

The square shows the following genotypes are possible:

The square also shows the following phenotypes are possible:

USING PUNNETT SQUARES

2. Two hybrid guinea pigs are crossed.

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