Are we more affected by the Father or Mother side geneticlly?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the genetic influences of paternal versus maternal inheritance, exploring whether individuals are more affected by genes from one parent over the other, or if it varies based on specific genes and traits. Participants examine various genetic mechanisms, including imprinted genes, mitochondrial inheritance, and the role of sex chromosomes, while also addressing the complexities of cancer inheritance and the interplay between genetics and environmental factors.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that genetic influence from both parents is generally equal, but exceptions exist for certain genes, such as imprinted genes and mitochondrial DNA.
  • It is noted that the expression of alleles can differ based on the sex of the offspring, with some genes having varying effects in males and females.
  • Participants discuss the BRCA genes as an example, highlighting that males with the BRCA gene have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to females.
  • Questions arise regarding the definition of "inherited" cancer, with some participants expressing confusion over the distinction between inherited and non-inherited cancers, despite increased risks associated with parental cancer history.
  • There is mention of the complexity of traits being influenced by both genetics and environment, with examples such as height and phenylketonuria illustrating gene-environment interactions.
  • One participant shares links to videos and articles that explain genetic effects and epigenetics, suggesting a broader context for understanding these influences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether genetic influences are more significant from one parent versus the other, as multiple competing views and uncertainties remain regarding specific genes and their effects.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in understanding the inheritance of traits, including the dependence on definitions of inheritance, the role of environmental factors, and the evolving nature of cancer biology.

kenny1999
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I mean, genetically, are we more affected by the father side or mother side or equally affected? or does it depend on the detailed aspect of the genes?
 
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kenny1999 said:
I mean, genetically, are we more affected by the father side or mother side or equally affected? or does it depend on the detailed aspect of the genes?
In general, the alleles inherited from the mother and father have equal weight in determining the phenotype of the child. However, there are a few exceptions:

1) Imprinted genes. Some genes are imprinted such that only the copy from the mother or only the copy from the father gets expressed. For more information see: https://www.nature.com/scitable/top...ting-and-patterns-of-disease-inheritance-899/

2) Mitochondrial genes. Mitochondrial DNA contains a few genes, and mitochondria are inherited solely from the mother.

3) Sex chromosomes. Of course, y-chromosomes can be inherited only from the father. In females, cells have two copies of the X-chromosome, but one copy gets randomly inactivated. So, some female cells will express only the paternal X-chromosome while others within the same body will express only the maternal X-chromosome.

jim mcnamara said:
A simple answer is not really any of the above as stated.
Depending on the gene involved and the sex of the offspring it varies a lot - from no influences to important influence. Example BRCA genes:
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young_women/bringyourbrave/hereditary_breast_cancer/index.htm

Males get far less breast cancer if they carry the BRCA gene than females.
Genes can be expressed differently between males and females and can definitely have different effects depending on sex. However, do the BRCA genes have a greater effect in women if they were maternally inherited or paternally inherited? I think that's the question that the OP was asking.
 
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jim mcnamara said:
A simple answer is not really any of the above as stated.
Depending on the gene involved and the sex of the offspring it varies a lot - from no influences to important influence. Example BRCA genes:
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young_women/bringyourbrave/hereditary_breast_cancer/index.htm

Males get far less breast cancer if they carry the BRCA gene than females.
Well, you are mentioning cancer. I'd take this chance to ask another question - Why when some types of cancer aren't considered to be inherited, but they say if a parent who has that cancer, there would be increased chance of the offspring to get this cancer but it is not inherited? Doesn't "inherited" practically mean
"increased chance"? Because even if a parent has a type of inherited cancer, his offspring won't necessarily get this cancer for 100%
 
kenny1999 said:
Why when some types of cancer aren't considered to be inherited, but they say if a parent who has that cancer, there would be increased chance of the offspring to get this cancer but it is not inherited?
Without an exact quote and/or a reference, it is impossible to give any kind of concrete answer to this.
It is not even clear if the same person was saying these things, or someone different.
Disagreements over things and the changing understanding of the biology of cancer can often lead to disagreements like (maybe) this.
Such disputes underlie the mechanisms of scientific advancement (sorting among conflicting hypotheses).
Our understanding of how cancer works has advanced rapidly in the last 40 years.

Many cancers have been associated with genetic markers of one kind or another (indicating an influence on getting cancer).
Some cancers may have genetic causes, but could also be cause-able by toxic chemicals.
Genetic influences can also be helped along by unfortunate chemical exposures.
 
kenny1999 said:
Well, you are mentioning cancer. I'd take this chance to ask another question - Why when some types of cancer aren't considered to be inherited, but they say if a parent who has that cancer, there would be increased chance of the offspring to get this cancer but it is not inherited? Doesn't "inherited" practically mean
"increased chance"? Because even if a parent has a type of inherited cancer, his offspring won't necessarily get this cancer for 100%

Most traits are influenced by both genetics and environment (i.e. nature and nurture). Studies have shown that most a lot of traits that we care about (e.g. height, weight, intelligence, skin color, etc.) are complex traits that 1) are controlled by small contributions from a large number of genes and 2) have some genetic component and some environmental component. For the case of height, about 80% of the variation in height is due to genetics and 20% is due to environment (for example, diet). Similarly, the risk of disease can be dependent on both genetics and environment, as well. An extreme case of gene-environment interactions is the genetic disease phenylketonuria, which can cause intellectual disability due to the inability to metabolize certain amino acids. However, if individuals affected by the disease adopt a specific diet that largely avoids the problematic amino acid, they will show no symptoms of the disease.
 
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