
Pedigrees – Why They’re Important
- 1. Pedigrees tell us where our coins have been. The most desirable pedigrees trace the ownership of a coin all the way back to the day it was struck. ...
- 2. Pedigrees establish a chain of value. A good pedigree tells us when a coin sold and for how much. ...
- 3. Pedigrees imply a higher degree of quality. ...
- 4. Pedigrees reveal potential problems. ...
Why are pedigrees important?
Pedigrees are essential to combat genetic diseases when they spring up now and again. Maybe the best example is in how the breed tackled PRA (Progressive Retinal Athropy) when that first started showing up.
How do you make a pedigree chart?
Pedigree Chart Symbols
- Pedigree charts are plotted using regular symbols and format.
- Males are depicted by squares and females are represented by a circle.
- People that are dead are represented by a diagonal line across the symbol.
- Symbols are shaded when people are affected by a given condition.
How are pedigrees templates used?
About the Pedigree Diagram Template You can identify how traits and diseases are passed from one generation to the next using the Pedigree Diagram Template. Pedigree Diagrams are useful for doctors, veterinarians, farmers, and anyone else working with genes or interested in genetics.
How to analyze pedigree charts?
Pedigree Charts
- Males are represented as squares, while females are represented as circles
- Shaded symbols mean an individual is affected by a condition, while an unshaded symbol means they are unaffected
- A horizontal line between man and woman represents mating and resulting children are shown as offshoots to this line

Why do people use pedigrees?
A pedigree is used for different animals, such as humans, dogs, and horses. Often, it is used to look at the transmission of genetic disorders.
What does the red square on a pedigree mean?
This pedigree is of an autosomal recessive trait or disorder. The completely red square represents a male that is homozygous recessive and has the trait. All of the half-shaded individuals are carriers; they do not exhibit the trait because it is recessive, but they could pass it on to their offspring if their partner is also a heterozygote. Autosomal recessive disorders include cystic fibrosis and Tay-Sachs disease.
What is autosomal dominant?
Autosomal Dominant. This pedigree shows an autosomal dominant trait or disorder. Autosomal means the gene is on a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome (X or Y). Not all of the offspring inherited the trait because their parents were heterozygous and passed on two recessive genes to those that do not show the trait.
Why do two people with a dominant trait have a child that shows the recessive trait?
Why is it that two people with a dominant trait can sometimes have a child that shows the recessive trait? This can occur because people have two copies of each gene, one from their mother and one from their father. Different forms of a gene—such as widow’s peak or no widow’s peak—are called alleles. In genetics, the dominant allele is represented by a capital letter, like W, while the recessive allele is represented by a lowercase letter, like w. There are three different genotypes (genetic makeups):
How to understand pedigrees?
To be able to understand pedigrees, one must understand dominant and recessive genes. Some characteristics, such as height, are influenced by a variety of genes and an individual’s environment. Height cannot be easily represented by a pedigree. Pedigrees are normally used to represent simple dominant and recessive traits. For example, having a widow’s peak hairline is dominant. If an individual has that trait, their symbol on the pedigree will be shaded in. If they have no widow’s peak, their symbol will not be shaded in because having no widow’s peak is recessive.
Why is the widow's peak not shaded in?
If they have no widow’s peak, their symbol will not be shaded in because having no widow’s peak is recessive. Certain traits like colorblindness are located on the X or Y chromosome and are called sex-linked. Colorblindness is more commonly found in males ...
What is the purpose of a pedigree?
The purpose of a pedigree is to have an easy-to-read chart that depicts a certain characteristic or disorder in an individual. It can be used for a characteristic like having a widow’s peak or attached earlobes, or a genetic disorder like colorblindness or Huntington’s disease. Besides being used to represent familial characteristics in humans, pedigrees are also important in animals that are selectively bred for certain characteristics. They visually represent the ancestors of an animal and make it easier to understand whether that animal will pass on certain characteristics to its offspring.
How do pedigrees help us?
4. Pedigrees reveal potential problems. Pedigrees allow us to look back, not only to see when coins sold, but to see how the coins appeared in prior sales. In that sense, a pedigree is a collection of “snapshots” of our coins. Such information can be extremely valuable, especially when a coin of great worth or rarity is being considered. By examining prior appearances, we can see if a coins has changed along the way. Has the coin been stripped of its toning, has it had toning added, has it been repaired, or has it been properly cared for all these years? Thus, pedigrees should not be taken at face value. A false pedigree can be created to increase a coin’s value or a pedigree can be omitted to hide previous problems.
What does a good pedigree mean?
A good pedigree certifies the value of a champion. A bad pedigree means the dog is, well, just a dog. Similarly, in the coin world, pedigrees certify the value of a champion. A pedigree to a “name” collection can add a lot of value.
What do pedigrees tell us about coins?
1. Pedigrees tell us where our coins have been. The most desirable pedigrees trace the ownership of a coin all the way back to the day it was struck. For some reason (best understood by psychologists), collectors are fascinated with the notion of knowing where their coins have been every moment of their metallic lives.
What are some names that are important to collectors of colonial coins?
Names like Maris, Spiro, Roper, Taylor, Norweb, Ford, and Garrett are important to collectors of colonial coins. U.S. coin collectors find tie-ins to the Eliasberg, Newcomer, Col. Green, and King Farouk collections especially attractive. Pedigrees from the Bass and Eliasberg collection are valuable to collectors of gold coins.
Why are pedigrees important?
Pedigrees – Why They’re Important. When buying a dog, particularly a champion, one of the most important considerations is its pedigree. The bloodline of a pedigree proves a dog’s ancestry and allows the prospective purchaser to confirm that the parents are also champions. A good pedigree certifies the value of a champion.
What is the difference between a pedigree and a name?
3. Pedigrees imply a higher degree of quality . “Name” collections are famous for a reason – they’re usually the most complete or the finest quality available. Typically, “name” collectors either purchased the best coins or upgraded their coins with better ones, always seeking the best quality.
Who is Ron Guth?
That’s why pedigrees are important. Ron Guth is President of PCGS CoinFacts. He has been active as a coin collector, dealer, writer and auctioneer since his introduction to numismatics in 1964. Buying and Selling Tips Coin Collecting: Basics.
What is the probability that any individual offspring will have the genotype AABBccDdEe?
If these 5 allele pairs all assort independently, then the probability that any individual offspring will have the genotype AABBccDdEe is 1 out of
What is the dominant allele for round seeds?
In pea plants, the allele for round seeds is dominant to the allele for wrinkled seeds. At another gene locus, the allele for yellow seeds is dominant to the allele for green seeds. These two allele pairs assort independently. If a plant breeder crosses two plants that are both heterozygous at both gene loci, what proportion of the offspring will produce round, green seeds?
What is the dominant gene for watermelons?
In watermelons, the gene for green color is dominant over its allele for striped color. At another gene locus, the gene for short shape is dominant over its allele for long shape. These two allele pairs assort independently. If a plant with long, striped fruit is crossed with a plant that is heterozygous for both of these traits, what percentage of the offspring do you expect will be short and green? ( Enter the number only without the percent sign. For example, enter 100% as 100 and enter 12.5% as 12.5 )
What is the genotype of a fruit fly?
A male fruit fly has the genotype AaPpYYrrTt. In terms of these 5 allele pairs, how many different types of gametes can he form?
Why do you toss a coin twice?
You toss a coin twice. Because the outcome of the first toss does not affect the outcome of the second toss, these 2 events are called
What is achondroplasia caused by?
Achondroplasia is a common form of dwarfism caused by an autosomal dominant mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. Two copies of the mutant gene are invariably fatal before or shortly after birth. If a person with achondroplasia marries a person of normal height, what is the probability that both their first child and second child will have achondroplasia?
What type of blood does AB have?
People with type AB blood have. both type A and type B antigens on their red blood cells. The seven traits that Mendel studied in pea plants have a relatively simple pattern of inheritance. Since the time of Mendel, however, scientists have discovered many traits that have more complex patterns of inheritance.
Pedigree Definition
Function of Pedigrees
- The purpose of a pedigree is to have an easy-to-read chart that depicts a certain characteristic or disorder in an individual. It can be used for a characteristic like having a widow’s peak or attached earlobes, or a genetic disorder like colorblindness or Huntington’s disease. Besides being used to represent familial characteristics in humans, ped...
Dominant and Recessive Genes
- To be able to understand pedigrees, one must understand dominant and recessive genes. Some characteristics, such as height, are influenced by a variety of genes and an individual’s environment. Height cannot be easily represented by a pedigree. Pedigrees are normally used to represent simple dominant and recessive traits. For example, having a widow’s peak hairline is …
Understanding Genes and Alleles
- Why is it that two people with a dominant trait can sometimes have a child that shows the recessive trait? This can occur because people have two copies of each gene, one from their mother and one from their father. Different forms of a gene—such as widow’s peak or no widow’s peak—are called alleles. In genetics, the dominant allele is represented by a capital letter, like …
Examples of Pedigrees
- Autosomal Dominant
This pedigree shows an autosomal dominant trait or disorder. Autosomal means the gene is on a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome (X or Y). Not all of the offspring inherited the trait because their parents were heterozygous and passed on two recessive genes to those that do n… - Autosomal Recessive
This pedigree is of an autosomal recessive trait or disorder. The completely red square represents a male that is homozygous recessive and has the trait. All of the half-shaded individuals are carriers; they do not exhibit the trait because it is recessive, but they could pass it on to their offs…
Related Biology Terms
- Allele– a form of a gene. For example, in pea plants, B represents the dominant trait (purple color) and b represents the recessive trait (white color).
- Homozygote– an individual that has two of the same alleles for a gene, e.g., BB for a purple pea plant or bb for a white pea plant.
- Heterozygote– an individual with two different alleles, such as a pea plant that is Bb.
- Allele– a form of a gene. For example, in pea plants, B represents the dominant trait (purple color) and b represents the recessive trait (white color).
- Homozygote– an individual that has two of the same alleles for a gene, e.g., BB for a purple pea plant or bb for a white pea plant.
- Heterozygote– an individual with two different alleles, such as a pea plant that is Bb.
- Autosomal– relating to a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.
Quiz
- 1. Which genotype represents a heterozygous individual? A. AA B. Aa C. aa D.A and C 2. An individual that shows a dominant trait could have one of what two genotypes for that trait? A. AA or aa B. Aa or aa C.AA or Aa 3. What does a completely shaded-in symbol on a pedigree of an autosomal recessive trait represent? A. An individual who shows the trait B. An individual who d…