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Difficulty: MediumGenetics and Heredity

In humans, a biological father cannot pass an X-linked genetic trait directly to his biological son.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True. A biological father contributes a Y chromosome to produce male offspring, meaning he cannot transmit an X-linked gene to his son.
The statement is true because sex determination dictates that a male offspring inherits a Y chromosome from his father and an X chromosome from his mother. Consequently, any allele located on the father's X chromosome cannot be transmitted to his male offspring.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the sex chromosome composition in human biological sex determination.
Biological females possess two X chromosomes (XXXX), while biological males possess one X and one Y chromosome (XYXY).
Sex-linked traits are governed by genes located specifically on sex chromosomes.
2
Determine which sex chromosome a father passes to a male child.
To produce a male child (XYXY), the father must contribute a Y chromosome, while the mother contributes an X chromosome.
If the father contributed his X chromosome, the child would be female (XXXX).
3
Evaluate the inheritance pathway for X-linked traits.
Since a son receives exclusively a Y chromosome from his father, none of the father's X-linked alleles can be inherited by the son.
Direct father-to-son transmission of X-linked traits cannot occur in standard chromosomal inheritance.

Key Concept

Sex-Linked Inheritance and Chromosomal Sex Determination
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Genetics and Heredity

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