Branching diagram

yay!!

Family Tree Pedigree Project

Mendelian Trait: Tongue Rolling

The mendelian trait I chose to track through my family was tongue rolling. I, myself, can roll my tongue and was eager to learn more about where that trait stemmed from in my family. I wanted to see if I could track it and to whom I had inhereited it from. After doing some research I have concluded that I recieved it from both sides, and after this presentation you will understand why!

Tongue Rolling Trait Description:

• this trait is made up of two alleles. R is what represents this gene because tongue rolling is a dominant trait.
• Possible genotypes and phenotyoes associated with this gene are: RR, Rr, and rr. Only those born with rr will not be able to roll their tongues.
• what kind of inheritence pattern does it follow? -there is no sexual dimorphism but it is slighlty more common umongst females.

• are ther other genes that effect this trait?- no, because it is mendelian, you either have the gene or you dont. There are not multiple genes that effect it.
• Are there any mutations associated with it?- there were none that I could find because most people with this gene only physically display the tongue rolling aspect.

Tongue rolling Family

Pedigree

Analysis

what does the pedigree tell us?

1. All the shapes/images that have been colored in are those who possess the trait to tongue roll.
2. As you can see, my maternal grandfather can roll his tongue. This means he must have the dominant gene rather it be homozygous or heterozygous (RR or Rr). My grandmother on the other hand, is not able to roll her tongue (rr) but because my mother is able to, my grandmother must have passed down her recessive and my grandfather his dominant to give my mother a heterozygous dominant gene (Rr).
3. Both my mother and uncle are able to role their tongues so they must both be heterozygous dominant for rolling their tongue. They are heterozygous because my grandmother does not have the dominant gene so they cant be completely dominant.
4. However, it isn't normal for many children to possess a trait if one parent is heterozygous and the other is completely recessive. Therefore, my grandfather must be completely dominant (RR) to have both of his children be able to roll their tongues.
5. Because of all this, both my mother and my uncle probably have the genotype of Rr.
6. Given that the same situation happened on my dad's side, with my grandfather possessing the trait and my grandmother not, it is more than likely he is Rr as well.
7. Given all this, because my brother and I CAN both roll our tongues, we either both inherited the dominant gene from both parents (RR) or we are both heterozygous just like them (Rr).

On the next slide there are punnett squares that dictate the percentage of my children to potentially possess the abiblity to roll their tongues given the genotype of their father...

1. -if I am heterozygous dominant and my spouse is completely dominant...

2.- If I am heterozygous dominant but my spouse is completely recessive...

all of our children will be able to roll their tongues!

3. - If I am completely dominant and my spouse is recessive...

50% of our kids will be able to!

all of our kids will be heterozygous dominant and be able to roll their tongues!