Probability and Punnett
Squares
11-2
Genetics and Probability
• The likelihood that a particular event will
occur is called probability.
• As an example of probability, consider an
ordinary event like flipping a coin.
– The chances, or probabilities, of either outcome
are equal.
– The probability that a single coin flip will come up
heads is 1 chance in 2.
– This is 1/2, or 50 percent.
Question
• If you flip a coin three times in a row, what is
the probability that it will land heads up every
time?
Guess: _______________
• each coin flip is an independent event, the
probability of each coin's landing heads up is
1/2.
Answer
• the probability of flipping three heads in
a row is
1/2 * 1/2 *1/2=1/8
• The principles of probability can be
used to predict the outcomes of genetic
crosses.
Punnett Squares
• Diagrams that show the gene
combinations that might result from a
genetic cross
• Punnett squares can be used to predict
and compare the genetic variations that
will result from a cross.
• When making Punnett squares, capital
letters are used to represent dominant
traits
• Lower case letters are used to
represent recessive traits
Homozygous & Heterozygous
• Organisms that have two identical
alleles for a particular trait (TT or tt) are
said to be homozygous
– True-breeding
• Organisms that have two different
alleles for the same trait Tt are
heterozygous
– Hybrid
Genotype and Phenotype
• Genotype refers to genetic makeup, or
what alleles the organism has
• Phenotype refers to the physical
appearance of an organism
– Organisms with the same phenotype may
not have the same genotype
Probability and Segregation
• Mendel had assumed that segregation of
alleles had occurred during gamete
formation
• Repeatedly, a 3 dominant:1 recessive
ratio appeared in each of his 7 crosses
• Segregation did happen
Probabilities Predict Averages
• Probabilities predict the average outcome of
a large number of events.
• Probability cannot predict the precise
outcome of an individual event.
• If you flip a coin twice, you are likely to get
one head and one tail.
.
• However, you might also get two heads or
two tails. To be more likely to get the
expected 50 : 50 ratio, you would have to flip
the coin many times
• Genetics is the same way.
• The more offspring, the closer to Mendelian
ratios you get