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Heredity of phenotypic traits: a father and son with prominent ears and crowns. DNA structure. Bases are in the centre, surrounded by phosphate–sugar chains in a double helix. In humans, eye color is an example of an inherited characteristic: an individual might inherit the "brown-eye trait" from one of the parents. [1]
The observation that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding. [7] [8] The modern science of genetics, seeking to understand this process, began with the work of the Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel in the mid-19th century.
In humans, for example, eye colour is an inherited characteristic and an individual might inherit the "brown-eye trait" from one of their parents. [21] Inherited traits are controlled by genes and the complete set of genes within an organism's genome (genetic material) is called its genotype. [22]
Many traits are produced by the interaction of several genes. Traits controlled by two or more genes are said to be polygenic traits. Polygenic means "many genes" are necessary for the organism to develop the trait. For example, at least three genes are involved in making the reddish-brown pigment in the eyes of fruit flies. Polygenic traits ...
It is this genetic variation that underlies differences in phenotype. An example is the ABO blood type antigens in humans, where three alleles govern the phenotype. [101] Some traits are governed by only a single gene, but most traits are influenced by the interactions of many genes.
Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It ranges widely, from the number of species to differences within species, and can be correlated to the span of survival for a species. [1] It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to ...
Wholly genetic disorders, such as Huntingtons, are inherited from parents' genes and are present before birth but the symptoms that develop after birth are delayed manifestations of the inherited trait. Disorders that are partially genetic, such as ALS and allergies, mean the organism has inherited a predisposition to develop a certain ...
Therefore, species-specific genetic traits must be inherited, allowing individuals to be successful in their designated environments. There are many environmental examples of sexual selection as an adaptive behavior; one popular example is sexual dimorphism.