In: Biology
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a degenerative disease of the retina, caused by a mutation in a mitochondrial gene. If a woman and man, both of whom have LHON, mate what portion of their children do you expect to have LHON? If one of their daughters mates with a man who does not have LHON, what portion of her children do you expect to have LHON? If one of their sons mates with a woman who does not have LHON, what portion of his children do you expect to have LHON?
Please provide an explanation.
Question 1: If a woman and man, both of whom have LHON, mate what portion of their children do you expect to have LHON?
Answer 1: All the offspring will have LHON , as the mitochondrial gene will be transmitted to all the offspring by the mother.
Question 2: If one of their daughters mates with a man who does not have LHON, what portion of her children do you expect to have LHON?
Answer 2: All the offspring will have LHON , as the mitochondrial gene will be transmitted to all the offspring by the mother, who has got the mitochondrial gene from her mother.
Question 3: If one of their sons mates with a woman who does not have LHON, what portion of his children do you expect to have LHON?
Answer 3: None of the children will have LHON, as the mother does not have LHON. Though the father is having LHON, but he will not be able to transmit the gene to the offspring.
Explanation: In the cell a small, circular DNA is present in mitochondria. When the egg cell fuses with the sperm the mitochondria in the egg cells persists and is able to pass to the offspring hence mitochondrial genome is transferred from mother to all her offspring. Mitochondria from the father (sperm) does not pass to the zygote, and none of the offspring will have mitochondrial genome from the father.
The characteristic of mitochondrial inheritance are
It will always pass from mother to all the offspring including daughters and sons.
The sons though they will have the mitochondrial gene, they will not be able to transmit it to their offspring.