Unsure if this is the correct place, but it seemed the most appropriate...
I have a layman's question for the knowledgeable.
Here's a family tree:
Great Grandad (X'Y) - Great Grandma (X?X?)
|
Grandma (X'X?) - Grandad (X^Y)
|
Mom (X'X^) - Dad (X?Y)
|
me (X'Y)
Great Grandad is color blind. Grandad is bald. From what I remember from
high school genetics, both of these traits are sex-linked, carried on
defective X chromosomes.
So, in the above picture, X' represents the X chromosome carrying the color
blindness gene, and X^ represents the X chromosome carrying the baldness gene.
X? represents an X chromosome that I don't know about.
I am color blind, and my brother is not. Does this mean my brother should
start saving up for Rogaine?
Or do the genes get transmitted independently from the chromosomes they
reside on (in some great genetic shuffle)?
It's been 10 years since high school genetics. It's taken me 10 years
to consider this possibility, so be gentle.
Email responses greatly appreciated.
--
cpearce at monsta.metronet.com
