7. Practice: Understanding Traits and Genes
Question 6
Why is it impossible to predict which two alleles each parent contributes for a given gene?
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Question 7
As you've learned, thalidomide is a teratogen, meaning that it causes birth defects when taken
by pregnant women. Another teratogenic compound is alcohol, which is known to cause birth
defects in the developing child's nervous system and contribute to the development of fetal
1:44 PM
6/6/2024

Alleles are different versions of a specific gene that individuals inherit from each parent. When it comes to predicting which two alleles each parent contributes for a given gene, it is impossible due to the random assortment of alleles during the formation of reproductive cells. This random process leads to a variety of allele combinations in offspring.

For example, if a gene for eye color has two alleles (brown and blue), a parent may contribute a brown allele while the other contributes a blue one, resulting in a child with a heterozygous genotype for eye color. This genetic variability is what makes it impossible to predict the exact allele combination from each parent.

Learn more about Genetics here:

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