In 200 words

Watch the following videos to learn more about genetics and the implications of our genetic knowledge: and answer the discussion topic

Our Molecular Selves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EK3g6px7Ik&lr=1&uid=Up6Pd9fx8_UX7S38Ih_JqA 

Video transcript:  http://www.genome.gov/25520211

Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Genetic Knowledge:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apjebtal8bQ&lr=1&uid=Up6Pd9fx8_UX7S38Ih_JqA

Video transcript:  http://www.genome.gov/25019880

Discussion Topic Option

• Describe a physical trait you possess that you could potentially pass on to your own children. Using what you learned from the Inheritance of Individual Traits animation, consider the following. Let’s pretend you have 4 children, and 2 of the 4 children also possess your characteristic. Meanwhile the other biological parent of your children does not possess the trait.
• Do you think this trait could be dominant or recessive?
• Based upon your response, describe why it would or would not be possible for this trait to “skip” a generation.
• Patterns of inheritance within organisms like pea plants, fruit flies, mice, and others are somewhat easy to determine since we can easily control their mating practices. Apart from controlling who mates with who, what other characteristics make species like these ideal for studying genetics?
• What are some of the challenges when studying human inheritance of traits like the one you chose for this scenario?