SEX DETERMINATION
• The sex of an individual is determined by the sex
chromosomes contributed to the zygote by the sperm and
the egg
SEX DETERMINATION
• An egg can donate an X
• A sperm can donate an X or Y
• Therefore the sperm determines the sex of a child
NOTES 21 - Sex-Linked
Inheritance
In humans, sex is determined by the 23rd chromosome pair
How is sex determined in
humans?
• Father’s 23rd pair is an X and a Y
• Mother’s 23rd pair is an X and an X
• Humans egg cells always have an X chromosome
• Human sperm cells have either an X or a Y
chromosome
• If a sperm with an X fertilizes the egg, the 23rd pair will
be XX and it will be a female
• If a sperm with a Y fertilizes the egg, the 23rd pair will
be XY and it will be a male
Sex-linked traits – Traits carried on the X
chromosome (23rd pair in humans)
• The X chromosome has many genes on it
• The Y chromosome has very few genes on it
Sex Chromosomes
Sex-linked traits are inherited differently in men and
women
• Females have two X chromosomes, so they have 2 genes for
all traits carried on the 23rd pair
• Males have one X chromosome, so they only have 1 gene for
all traits carried on the 23rd pair
Inheritance of a Sex-Linked
Trait
Whether or not recessive sex-linked traits
get passed on depends on the sex of the
parent and the sex of the offspring
• Males pass their X chromosome (and its genes) to all
of their daughters and none of their sons
• Females pass one of their X chromosomes (and its
genes) to all of their children
• Fathers cannot pass sex-linked traits to their sons, and
always pass them to their daughters
• Males only inherit sex-linked traits from their
mothers, so if a son receives an X chromosome with a
recessive allele from his mother, he automatically will
have the recessive trait
SEX-LINKED
INHERITANCE
• Using fruit flies as test subjects,
Thomas Morgan studied eye
colour using simple monohybrid
crosses.
• Red eyes (R) are dominant over
white eyes (r).
SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE
• When he crossed
purebred white-eyed
males with red-eyed
females, he was
unable to produce a
female with white
eyes.
• He concluded that the
gene must be located
on the X chromosome.
SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE
• Some traits are located on
the sex chromosomes, so
the inheritance of these
traits depends on the sex
of the parent carrying the
trait.
SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE
• Most known sex-linked traits
are X-linked (carried on the
X chromosome). This is
probably because the X
chromosome is much larger
than the Y chromosome.
SEX-LINKED DISORDERS
• Some sex-linked traits are associated with
disorders.
• Most are found on the X chromosome, Y-
linked disorders are rare.
• Males are at a much greater risk for
inheriting sex-disorders because they only
inherit one X, so if the X has the allele for
the disorder, they will suffer from the
disorder.
• Recessive lethal X-linked traits result in
death.
EXAMPLES OF SEX-LINKED
TRAITS and DISORDERS
• Male pattern baldness, red-green colour
blindness, myopia, night blindness,
hemophilia
Carrier – a female with a recessive allele on
one of her X chromosomes
Ex. Color blindness is caused by
a recessive allele on the X
chromosome
SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE
Punnett squares are used to predict the outcome
of sex-linked inheritance.
Assume the trait is X-linked unless told
otherwise!
Most disorders are recessive, some are
dominant, the question will tell you.
A “carrier” is a female who is heterozygous for
the trait.
Ex. Color blindness is caused by a recessive
allele on the X chromosome
XC = normal vision Xc = color blind
• XCXC = normal female
• XCXc = normal female carrier
• Xc Xc = color blind female
• XCY = normal male
• Xc Y = color blind male
Sex Linked Disease
Hemophilia: this is X linked Recessive disease.
Hemophilic Father and Normal Mother
Normal Father and Carrier Mother Normal Father and Hemophilic Mother
Sex Linked Disease
Hemophilia: this is X linked Recessive disease.
Xh Y
X XXh XY
X XXh XY
Hemophilic Father and Normal Mother
(2 Normal Sons, 2 Carrier Daughters)
X Y X Y
X XX XY Xh XXh XhY
Xh XXh XhY Xh XXh XhY
Normal Father and Carrier Mother Normal Father and Hemophilic Mother
(1 normal Son, 1 Normal Daughter, 1 Carrier (Carrier Daughters, Hemophilic Sons)
Daughter, 1 Hemophilic Son)