maternal inheritance

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inheritance

[in-her´ĭ-tans]

1. the acquisition of characters or qualities by transmission from parent to offspring.

2. that which is transmitted from parent to offspring; see also gene, deoxyribonucleic acid, and heredity.

intermediate inheritance inheritance in which the phenotype of the heterozygote falls between that of the two homozygotes.

maternal inheritance the transmission of characters that are dependent on peculiarities of the egg cytoplasm produced, in turn, by nuclear genes.

ma·ter·nal in·her·i·tance

transmission of characters that are dependent on properties of the egg cytoplasm produced by nuclear genes or by mitochondrial genes or both.

maternal inheritance

Genetics An inheritance pattern displayed by mitochondrial genes that are propagated from one generation to the next through mom; the mitochondria of the zygote come almost entirely from the ovum. See Gene, Inheritance, Mitochondria, Zygote.

maternal inheritance

a form of CYTOPLASMIC INHERITANCE in which genes are passed to the offspring from the female only.

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References in periodicals archive ?

The introduction of this non-Mendelian inheritance pattern led to a discussion of mitochondrial genetics, with an emphasis on the contribution of mtDNA to oxidative phosphorylation and the important harmful consequences of mtDNA mutations on this process.

As members of the pilot GENA cohort, the authors addressed the concept of non-Mendelian inheritance by developing a learning plan that simulates a diagnostic laboratory setting, with a focus on mitochondrial genetics and disease.

Teaching mitochondrial genetics & disease: a GENA project curriculum intervention

Epigenetics refers to the study of gene silencing and non-Mendelian inheritance of traits.

Environmental influences on epigenetic regulation

Biologists, physicists, and other researchers explore the bases of Mendelian dominance as a pre-requisite for understanding the more complex non-Mendelian inheritance. Their topics include the phenomenology and mechanisms of dominance, phenotype and stochastic gene expression, mathematical models of haplo-insufficiency, biological consequences of dosage-dependent gene regulation in multicellular eukaryotes, and lessons from a genetic network about the causes of dominance.

The Biology of Genetic Dominance

Several characteristics in animal models, including high frequency and non-Mendelian inheritance patterns, have suggested an epigenetic mechanism, possibly involving hormone changes in offspring.

Increased serum corticosterone and glucose in offspring of chromium(III)-treated male mice. (Articles)