DNA, Traits, and Heredity

Objectives

DNA, Traits, • Learn about DNA, Traits, and Heredity. This

lecture will lead into why structural changes to
and Heredity genes (mutations) located on chromosomes
may affect proteins and may result in harmful,
beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure
and function of the organism. MS-LS3-1
Genetics Unit • Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms,
Grade 8 Physical Science and other domain-specific words and phrases
as they are used in a specific scientific or
Mr. Reid technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts
and topics. RST.6–8.4

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Warm up Questions: What is DNA?

• How can we have different traits • Genetic material that directs all
than our parents? the cell’s activities, including the
• What is DNA? making of new cells.

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DNA, Traits, and Heredity

Chromatid (or sister

DNA Structure
chromatids)
• DNA is made of: • One half of a chromosome
o Sugar called deoxyribose • Sister chromatids are connected by a centromere
o Phosphate Group at the center
o Nitrogen bases
• Double helix shape or a twisted
ladder
• Nitrogen bases are like sentences,
they make the codes for all organisms

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Chromosome Fun Facts

• Condensed form of DNA
about DNA
• Chromatin condenses into a chromosome during cell division • If you unravel all the DNA
from all your cells, you
• 2 sister chromatids form 1 chromosome could reach the moon 6000
times!
• Humans and chimps share
94-99% of their DNA
• It would take a person
typing 60 wpm, 8 hours a
day, around 50 years to
type out the entire human
genome

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DNA, Traits, and Heredity

What is a gene? What is a trait?

• A factor that controls a trait • Physical characteristic
• Located on DNA
• Examples: • How you look
• gene for plant height
• gene for eye color
• Two copies of genes (exists in
pairs) because you get one set
from your mother and one
from your father
• Fill in the blanks in the picture

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Traits
What is heredity?
• Now take a few minutes to think of some traits that people have and
share them with your table group.
• The passing of traits from parent
to offspring
• Example: Parent with blue eyes
has a child with blue eyes
• Do you think the sickle cell trait
is passed on from both parents
or only one parent? Look at the
diagram to answer.

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DNA, Traits, and Heredity

What is genetics? What are alleles?

• Study of how traits are inherited • Different forms of a gene
• Example: For the gene of height,
you have an allele for tall and an
allele for short

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What controls the inheritance of traits? Dominant Allele

• Traits are determined by the alleles inherited from parents • Trait that always appears when
the allele is present
• Alleles can be dominant or recessive • Written with a CAPITAL letter
• Examples:
• Tall plants = T
• Brown eyes = B

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DNA, Traits, and Heredity

Recessive Alleles Now You Try

• Traits that can be masked/covered up when • If tall plants were T and brown eyes were B, what do you think short
the dominant allele is present
plants and blue eyes would be?
• Written with a lowercase letter

Tall plants Short Blue

=T plants: eyes:
Brown t b
eyes = B

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How to write alleles for a single trait Comparing purebreds and hybrids
• Use only 1 letter to represent a trait, then use upper- and lowercase Hybrid
Purebred
to show dominant and recessive alleles
• Write them side-by-side (BB, Bb, bb) • Alleles are identical Has one dominant allele
• Example: Plant height (both dominant or both and one recessive allele
• Correct! Wrong! recessive) Trait appearing will always
T = tall T = tall • Trait appearing can be be dominant
either dominant or Examples: Tt, Bb
t = short s = short
recessive
• Examples: TT, BB, bb, tt

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DNA, Traits, and Heredity

Discussion Analysis Question

Question • Write a brief 3-5 sentence
explanation as to why people
• Are traits controlled Widows peak vs no widows peak look so different from one
by dominant alleles another.
more common than
traits controlled by
recessive alleles?

Cheek dimples vs no cheek

dimples

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