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Q.What do you mean by sex-linked characters? Describe with the help of line sketches, the inheritance of two sex-linked characters in humans. OR What do you mean by population? Describe population interactions.

Uttar Pradesh UpmspUP Board (UPMSP) Intermediate 2024Subjective· 5mImportance★★★★★
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Sex-linked characters are carried on the X chromosome and show criss-cross inheritance; colour blindness and haemophilia are the classic examples, appearing mainly in males. (Main option of an OR choice.)

Sex-linked characters. These are characters (traits) controlled by genes located on the sex chromosomes, chiefly the X chromosome. Because the male is XY (only one X) and the female is XX (two X's), a recessive gene on the X is expressed even when present singly in males, but a female must carry it on both X's to express it (she is a carrier if she has it on only one X). Such genes pass from a father through his carrier daughters to his grandsons — a pattern called criss-cross inheritance. Sex-linked recessive traits are therefore far commoner in males.

Two examples in humans:

(1) Colour blindness (red-green). Caused by an X-linked recessive gene (c). A person cannot distinguish red and green colours.

  • Cross: carrier mother (Xᶜ X) × normal father (X Y).
  • Gametes — mother: Xᶜ, X; father: X, Y.
  • Offspring: X X (normal daughter), Xᶜ X (carrier daughter), X Y (normal son), Xᶜ Y (colour-blind son).
  • Result: all daughters are normal (½ carriers); ½ of the sons are colour-blind. (A line diagram/checkerboard is drawn showing these four combinations.)

(2) Haemophilia (bleeder's disease). Also X-linked recessive (gene h). Blood fails to clot due to a missing clotting factor, so even a minor cut leads to prolonged bleeding. …

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