Name Class Date

CHAPTER 11
SKILL ACTIVITY
Human Heredity
Problem solving
Section 11-1

Human Characteristics
As you know, chromosomes work in pairs. The members of each chromosome pair are
called homologous chromosomes, and the two chromosomes of each pair are approximately
the same length, the same shape, and carry alleles for the same genes. Each chromosome of a
pair comes from a different parent: one from the mother through the egg and the other from
the father through the sperm. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, or a total of 46
chromosomes, per cell. Only 22 of these pairs are truly homologous. The twenty-third pair, the
sex chromosomes, may or may not match, depending on whether the individual is female (XX)
or male (XY).
The diagram below shows a generalized view of one pair of homologous chromosomes from
an individual human. Assume the chromosome on the left is from the father and the one on the
right is from the mother.
You should be aware that any two alleles of a gene have different effects on the trait that
they control. For example, the M allele causes more melanin to be made in the skin, giving it a
darker color; the m allele causes less melanin, resulting in a lighter skin color. Even though the
effects are different, the two alleles in an allele pair control the same trait—in this case, skin
color. •

Sample Problem

{from (from
fatfier) mother) Characteristics

frecl^led skin

chemical taste ability

hair color

presence of a genetic disease

Rh blood factor

skin color

color perception

Determine the genotypes and corresponding phenotypes of the person whose chromosomes
are shown above.
 uenotypes Phenotypes
Ff freckled
Tt taste ability
Bb brown hair
Hh has disease
Rh+ Rh- Rh^ (positive is dominant)
Mm darker skin
Cc normal vision

Which parent donated a blond hair allele? mother

Was that parent blond? possibly—no way to know for sure from
information given

Is this person blond? no

Is this person colorblind? no

Can this person taste the chemical? yes

Is this person freckled? yes

From the information provided, can you determine no—these are not the sex chromosomes and the
this person's eye color or sex? genes shown do not control eye color

Exercises
Determine the genotypes and corresponding phenotypes of the people whose chromosomes
appear below and on the following page. Then answer the questions that follow.

(from mother) Genotypes Phenotypes

1. a. Ff freckled
F

t b. tt cannot taste
B c. Bb brown hair
h d. hh no disease

Kara Rh+
/Rh"
e.Rh+ Rh-
m f. mm lighter skin

I C /
g- CC colour vision

4 © Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Name Class Date

(from fathier) (from mother) Genotypes Phenotypes

2. a Ff freckled
f F

T T b TT can taste

b b c. bb blond
hh no disease
1 ^ 1 h d

Juanita Rh+
e.Rh+ Rh-
/RhA
f.
mm lighter skin
m m
Cc colour vision
Vc , Vc /
g-

(from father) (from mother) Genotypes Phenotypes

3. a ff unfreckled
f f
b tt cannot taste
t t

c. BB brown hair
B B

Hh has disease
h 1 1 ^
d

Phil Rh- Rh-

e.
Rh-
/RhA
MM darker skin
M M f.
cc colour blind
VC ; Vc /

4. Was Kara's father freckled? 4. maybe (only got to see half)

5. Was Kara's mother freckled? 5. yes bc dominate (gave it)
6. Which of the two genotypes, Ff or FF, would 6. doesn’t matter (shows up the same way
have more freckles?

7. Did either of Kara's parents have taste ability? 7. maybe (don’t know)
8. Are all of Juanita's brothers and sisters blond? 8. can’t tell
9. When Juanita has children of her own, will they 9. yes (she has 2 dominate)
have taste ability?

10. What color is Phil's hair? . ' 10. brown

11. Is Phil's skin color light or dark? 11. dark
12. Were both Phils parents colorblind? 12. not necessarily