Quick Peek:
Have you ever wondered how two brunette parents can have a blonde child? It’s all in the genetics. Dominant alleles, like jackets, show up in the phenotype, while recessive alleles, like t-shirts, are hidden. The blonde allele is recessive, but if both parents have one dominant allele for brown hair and one recessive allele for blonde hair, their child has a 25% chance of inheriting two recessive alleles for blonde hair. So, don’t be surprised if your little brunette bundle of joy ends up with a head full of blonde locks!
Can 2 Brunette People Have a Blonde Child?
Have you ever wondered how genetics work when it comes to hair color? If two brunette parents have a blonde child, it might seem like a mystery. However, the answer lies in the recessive and dominant alleles.
What Are Alleles?
Alleles are different versions of a gene that determine a particular trait. In the case of hair color, there are two types of alleles: dominant and recessive. Dominant alleles are the ones that show up in the phenotype or physical appearance, while recessive alleles are hidden and only appear in the phenotype when paired with another recessive allele.
What Is the Blond Allele?
The blond allele is a recessive allele that codes for blonde hair. It is hidden in the DNA of brunette parents who carry it. This means that both parents must have a recessive allele for blond hair to pass it on to their child.
Why Do Brunette Parents Have a Blonde Child?
If both parents have one dominant allele for brown hair and one recessive allele for blond hair, their child has a 25% chance of inheriting two recessive alleles for blond hair. This means that the child will have blonde hair, even though both parents have brown hair.
Think of alleles like clothing. Dominant alleles are like jackets that you wear on top of your t-shirt. If you wear a jacket, no one can see the t-shirt underneath. Recessive alleles are like t-shirts that only show up when you’re not wearing a jacket. If both parents wear a jacket (have a dominant allele), their child will wear a jacket too. But if both parents have a t-shirt (recessive allele), their child will wear a t-shirt too.
Conclusion
In conclusion, two brunette parents can have a blonde child if they both carry a recessive allele for blond hair. This recessive allele is hidden in their DNA and only shows up in their child’s phenotype if they inherit two copies of it. Genetics can be complicated, but understanding how alleles work can help us make sense of the diversity we see in the world.
So next time you see a blonde child with brunette parents, you’ll know that it’s not a mystery but a result of genetics at work.
References for “Can 2 brunette people have a blonde child?”
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Article: “The Genetics of Hair Color”
Source: Genetics Home Reference
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Article: “Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes and Other Genetic Mutations”
Source: Live Science
Link: https://www.livescience.com/7112-blonde-hair-blue-eyes-genetic-mutations.html
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Book: “The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy”
Author: Blaine T. Bettinger
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Family-Guide-Testing-Genetic-Genealogy/dp/1440345325
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Article: “The Inheritance of Hair Color”
Source: Nature Education
Link: https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/the-inheritance-of-hair-color-21227731/
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Article: “The Genetics of Hair Color: A Curious Case of Two Blond Parents Producing a Brunette Child”
Source: Forbes
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