How Are Characteristics Inherited?

These and many other traits are inherited. Eye Color Hair Color

Eye color is a bit more complicated than most of the traits we will discuss because more than two factors are involved. Also, there are two different genes controlling eye color. There is an additional layer of coloring that contains melanin, the same pigment that colors your skin.

a characteristic passed from parents to their offspring inherited trait a characteristic passed from parents to their offspring

Freckles, hair texture, and ear lobe shape are inherited too Freckles, hair texture, and ear lobe shape are inherited too. Even handedness is inherited.

Mendel hypothesized that each characteristic was controlled by two factors (one from each parent).

Of the two factors, Mendel also discovered that some factors were stronger than others.

A characteristic that appears when there is one factor present for it is called a dominant trait.

If you can roll your tongue, it’s because you inherited at least one dominant factor for tongue rolling.

Some of you may even be able to double roll, or fold your tongue!

If your ear lobes are attached, it’s because you inherited two recessive factors for ear lobes.

White fur is recessive in hamsters like blue eyes in humans White fur is recessive in hamsters like blue eyes in humans. Still, even if both your parents have brown eyes it is possible to have blue.

A gene is the location on a chromosome that contains the DNA code for a trait.

Remember half of your chromosomes came from dad, half from mom, but the particular half you got from each one is what makes you unique.