Characteristics of Different Inheritance Patterns

Autosomal recessive

  • Need 2 copies of the allele to have the trait/disorder
  • Males and females are affected equally, usually in equal proportions (if there are enough people in the pedigree)
  • Trait tends to skip generations
  • When both parents are heterozygous, ~¼ of offspring will be affected
  • When both parents are homozygous, all children will be affected

Autosomal dominant

  • Need only 1 dominant allele to have the trait/disorder
  • Males and females are affected equally
  • Does not skip generations
  • Affected offspring must have an affected parent (unless they have a new mutation)
  • When 1 parent is affected (heterozygous) and the other is unaffected, ~ ½ of the offspring will be affected
  • Unaffected parents do not transmit the trait

X-linked recessive
(gene is on the X chromosome)

  • Need 2 copies of the allele to have the trait/disorder
  • ~½ of the carrier (heterozygous) mother’s sons are affected
  • Trait can skip generations
  • More males than females are affected
  • 100% of daughters of affected fathers are carriers
  • Never passed from father to son

 

X-linked dominant
(gene is on the X chromosome)

  • Need only 1 dominant allele to have the trait/disorder
  • All daughters of an affected male will be affected
  • Affected mothers (if heterozygous) will pass the trait on to ½ of both sons and daughters with each pregnancy
  • Both males and females are affected; often more females than males are affected
  • Less common inheritance pattern than the X-linked recessive

Y-linked trait
(gene is on the Y chromosome)

  • Only males are affected
  • Passed from father to son