Sex Linkage

Genetics: Sex Linkage
and Recombination
MARIA LILIBETH S.FUERTES

Teacher III, JLNHS-SHS
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Review:
Recombination or shuffling of genes/

alleles in Meiosis results to variation in
the genome of gametes, the sperm cells
and egg cells.
Modes of Inheritance:
1.X-linked dominant disorders
2.X-linked recessive disorders
3.Y-linked inheritance
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SEX-LINKAGE
Inheritance in which the gene for the
condition is carried on one of the X or Y
sex chromosomes.
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In humans, one pair of
chromosomes (the 23rd pair)
determines the gender of the
individual.
These 2 chromosomes are known
as the sex chromosomes.
The X chromosome is larger and carries more genes than the Y

chromosome .
If two X chromosomes (XX) are present in the embryo, it generally
develops into a female.
If one X and Y (XY) are present in the embryo, it generally develops into
a male.
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Males determine the sex of the offspring
as they can create either an X sperm or a
Y sperm.
If a Y sperm fertilizes an egg, the embryo
becomes a male.
If an X sperm fertilizes an egg, the
embryo becomes a female.
Females can only create X eggs.
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Sex-Linked Traits
If a gene is found only on the X chromosome and
not the Y chromosome, it is said to be a sex-linked
trait. Because the gene controlling the trait is located
on the sex chromosome, sex linkage is linked to
the gender of the individual.
Usually such genes are found on the X chromosome.
The Y chromosome is thus missing such genes.
The result is that females will have two copies of the sex-linked
gene while males will only have one copy of this gene.
If the gene is recessive, then males only need one such recessive
gene to have a sex-linked trait rather than the customary two
recessive genes for traits that are not sex-linked.
This is why males exhibit some traits more frequently than
females. 11/22/2019 7
Examples of Sex-linked Traits:
Color blindness. An X-linked recessive trait where a
affected individual could not distinguish red from
green color (red green color blindness)
In humans, red-green colorblindness is a recessive
sex-linked trait (c). It is found on the X chromosome,
not the Y.
Because, males only have one X chromosome, they
have a much greater chance of having red-green
colorblindness.
Females would have to be homozygous recessive in

order to have red-green colorblindness.
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Hemophilia is an X-linked recessive trait where an
affected individual suffers from delayed blood
clotting during injuries because of the absence of
certain blood clotting factors.
In humans, hemophilia is a recessive sex-linked

trait (h). It is found on the X chromosome, not the
Y.
Because, males only have one X chromosome, they

have a much greater chance of having hemophilia.
Females would have to be homozygous recessive

in order to have hemophilia.
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Normal Mother XH XH
H h
Normal Mother (carrier) X X
Hemophilia Mother Xh Xh
Normal Dad XH Y
Hemophilia Dad Xh Y
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Examples:
Mom is a normal carrier, Dad has hemophilia. How
many girls have hemophilia? How many boys?
Mom= Dad= Offspring =
Mom and Dad have hemophilia. What is the number

and sex of the children who have hemophilia? Are any
of the children carriers of the disorder?
Mom is normal and homozygous for hemophilia, dad

has hemophilia. How many of the children will have the
disorder?
12
Male pattern baldness is related to your genes
and male sex hormones. It usually follows a
pattern of receding hairline and hair thinning on
the crown.
In humans, male pattern baldness is a recessive
sex-linked trait (b). It is found on the X
chromosome, not the Y.
Because, males only have one X chromosome,
they have a much greater chance of having male
pattern baldness.
Females would have to be homozygous recessive
in order to have male pattern baldness.
13
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Duchenne muscular
dystrophy is a
condition that causes
muscle degeneration. It
is the most common
and severe form of
muscular dystrophy
that quickly worsens
and is fatal.
DMD is caused by an absence of dystrophin, a protein that

helps keep muscle cells intact. Symptom onset is in early
childhood, usually between ages 3 and 5. The disease
primarily affects boys, but in rare cases it can affect girls.
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Example of a Y-linked Inheritance
Hypertrichosis pinnae auris as an
example of a Y-linked trait.
If a male has the allele responsible for
the trait, then his Y chromosome will
possess that allele. Since he will pass
on his Y chromosome to his sons,
then all his sons will inherit the trait,
and they, in turn, can pass on the
allele to their sons.
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Y chromosome infertility
Y chromosome infertility is a condition that affects the
production of sperm, making it difficult or impossible for
affected men to father children.
Because Y chromosome infertility impedes the ability to
father children, this condition is usually caused by new
deletions on the Y chromosome and occurs in men with
no history of the disorder in their family. When men with
Y chromosome infertility do father children, either
naturally or with the aid of assisted reproductive
technologies, they pass on the genetic changes on the Y
chromosome to all their sons.
As a result, the sons will also have Y chromosome
infertility. This form of inheritance is called Y-linked.
Daughters, who do not inherit the Y chromosome, are not
affected.
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Sex-influenced trait- Any trait in a diploid
organism whose expression is affected by an
individual’s biological sex; a trait that occurs at a
higher frequency in one sex over the other. It is a
trait controlled by alleles on autosomal
chromosomes.
Examples of sex influenced traits may include soft

facial hair in females vs coarse facial hairs in
males. Another important example is baldness in
males, typically expressed in presence of high
level of hormone testosterone . Females having
the same allelic combination will not express the
trait.
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Sex-limited trait- Any trait in a diploid organism whose
expression is limited to just one biological sex.
Hormonal or physiological differences between sexes
may limit the expression of some genes to one biological
sex only.
Functional mammary glands is an example of a sex
limited trait. Only females can express functional
mammary glands that produce milk immediately after
giving birth.
Beard growth in humans is limited to men. A woman
does not grow a beard herself. But she can pass the genes
of heavy beard growth to her sons.
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ASSIGNMENT:
The last Emperor of Russia, Nicolas II, was married to

Empress Alexandra, and they had five children, Olga,
Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexis. Alexis was the only
one who was afflicted with hemophilia or the royal
bleeding disease; all other members were normal.
• Research on this medical condition and determine the

mode of inheritance.
• If only Prince Alexis was afflicted with the disease,
determine his genotype.
• What could be the genotypes of the Emperor and
Empress?
• Is it possible that each daughter could have been a
carrier?
21
References:
Klug, W.S., Cummings, M.R., Spencer, C.A. and Palladino, M.A.. 2012.
Essentials of Genetics. 8th ed. Benjamin Cummings.
Reece, J.B., Urry, L.A., Cain, M.L., Wasserman, S.A., Minorsky, P.V., and
Jackson, R.B. 2012. Campbell Biology, (9th ed). The Benjamin
Cummings Publishing Co., Inc.
Sheridan, M. 1999. Instructor’s guide for Biology, 5th ed. By Campbell,
Reece, Mitchell. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
www.colour-blindness.com/colour-blindness-tests/ishihara-colour-test-plates

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Genetics: Sex Linkage

MARIA LILIBETH S.FUERTES

Recombination or shuffling of genes/

The X chromosome is larger and carries more genes than the Y

Females would have to be homozygous recessive in

In humans, hemophilia is a recessive sex-linked

Because, males only have one X chromosome, they

Females would have to be homozygous recessive

Mom and Dad have hemophilia. What is the number

Mom is normal and homozygous for hemophilia, dad

DMD is caused by an absence of dystrophin, a protein that

Examples of sex influenced traits may include soft

The last Emperor of Russia, Nicolas II, was married to

• Research on this medical condition and determine the

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