Autosomal Inheritance

Estimated time: 3 minutes

Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Key Points: Autosomal Inheritance

Autosomal inheritance is the transmission of traits through autosomes (22 pairs of chromosomes other than sex chromosomes).
Autosomal traits affect both males and females equally, as they are not related to sex chromosomes.
Autosomal traits can be dominant or recessive depending on the gene involved.
Autosomal dominant traits (e.g. widow’s peak, Huntington’s disease) appear even in a heterozygous condition.
Autosomal recessive traits (e.g. phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia) appear only in a homozygous condition and may skip generations.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic disorder caused by a lack of phenylalanine hydroxylase, leading to the accumulation of phenylalanine and affecting brain development.