Question

Forms of inheritance that do not follow typical Mendelian patterns and that appear to be more influenced by the parent contributing the most cytoplasm to the embryo are grouped under the general heading of ________.

Answer 1

Answer:

Extrachromosomal or cytoplasmic inheritance

Explanation:

Extrachromosomal or cytoplasmic inheritance refers to hereditability transmission controlled by cytoplasmic genes.

This form of inheritance lays in genes that are out of the nucleus. Information for some characters is placed in organelles in the cytoplasm, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts. These organelles have a well-defined portion of the total cellular genome.

Although mitochondrial inheritance is mostly maternal, recent studies have demonstrated that it might also be paternal.

Sperm cells hardly carry mitochondria, so mitochondrial DNI is mostly inherited from the maternal side. If there exists any mutation in this DNI, the whole progeny of the mutated woman will be affected, as they will get the mother´s mitochondria carrying the mutation. On the contrary, if there is a man affected by a disease caused by a mutation in mitochondrial DNI, non of their descendants will get the disease.