sex-linked inheritance

(genetics) The transmission to successive generations of traits that are due to alleles at gene loci on a sex chromosome.

The inheritance of a trait (phenotype) that is determined by a gene located on one of the sex chromosomes. Genetic studies of many species have been facilitated by focusing on such traits because of their characteristic patterns of familial transmission and the ability to localize their genes to a specific chromosome. As the ability to map a gene to any of an organisms chromosomes has improved markedly, reliance on the specific pattern of inheritance has waned.

The expectations of sex-linked inheritance in any species depend on how the chromosomes determine sex. For example, in humans, males are heterogametic, having one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, whereas females are homogametic, having two X chromosomes. In human males, the entire X chromosome is active (not all genes are active in every cell), whereas one of a female's X chromosomes is largely inactive. Random inactivation of one X chromosome occurs during the early stages of female embryogenesis, and every cell that descends from a particular embryonic cell has the same X chromosome inactivated. The result is dosage compensation for X-linked genes between the sexes. A specific gene on the long arm of the X chromosome, called XIST at band q13, is a strong candidate for the gene that controls X inactivation. This pattern of sex determination occurs in most vertebrates, but in birds and many insects and fish the male is the homogametic sex. See also Sex determination.

In general terms, traits determined by genes on sex chromosomes are not different from traits determined by autosomal genes. Sex-linked traits are distinguishable by their mode of transmission through successive generations of a family. In humans it is preferable to speak in terms of X-linked or Y-linked inheritance.

Red-green color blindness was the first human trait proven to be due to a gene on a specific chromosome. The characteristics of this pattern of inheritance are readily evident. Males are more noticeably or severely affected than females; in the case of red-green color blindness, women who have one copy of the mutant gene (that is, are heterozygous or carriers) are not at all affected. Among offspring of carrier mothers, on average one-half of their sons are affected, whereas one-half of their daughters are carriers. Affected fathers cannot pass their mutant X chromosome to their sons, but do pass it to all of their daughters, who thereby are carriers. A number of other well-known human conditions behave in this manner, including the two forms of hemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency that predisposes to hemolytic anemia. See also Anemia; Color vision; Hemophilia; Muscular dystrophy.

Refined cytogenetic and molecular techniques have supplemented family studies as a method for characterizing sex-linked inheritance and for mapping genes to sex chromosomes in many species. Over 400 human traits and diseases seem to be encoded by genes on the X chromosome, and over 200 genes have been mapped. Among mammals, genes on the X chromosome are highly conserved. Thus, identifying a sex-linked trait in mice is strong evidence that a similar trait, and underlying gene, exists on the human X chromosome. See also Genetics; Human genetics; Sex-influenced inheritance.

Inheritance that may result from a mutant gene located on either the X- or Y-chromosome.