Intermediate Inheritance

Rucete ✏ Biology In a Nutshell

1. What Is Intermediate Inheritance?

  • Intermediate inheritance refers to genetic situations where neither allele is completely dominant.
  • Two main types: Incomplete dominance and codominance.

2. Incomplete Dominance

  • In incomplete dominance, the heterozygous phenotype is a blend of the two homozygous phenotypes.
  • Neither allele is fully dominant, so both contribute partially to the trait.

Example: Snapdragons

  • Red flowers: RR
  • White flowers: rr
  • Heterozygous: RrPink flowers
  • Resulting phenotype is intermediate (pink), not fully red or white.

3. Codominance

  • In codominance, both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed—not blended.
  • The result is a phenotype where both traits show up simultaneously.

Example: MN Blood Type

  • M allele + N allele = MN blood type
  • Both M and N proteins are expressed on the red blood cells.
  • Genotypes:
    • MM → M type
    • NN → N type
    • MN → Both M and N proteins visible (codominant expression)

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