What are some traits people can inherit?

Answer 1

There are people, so there will be traits. What are traits? Simply put, traits are certain characteristics that humans have - their behavior patterns, the ability to react to certain situations in a particular way; and more importantly - certain physical attributes. It is what makes all of us human in the true sense. Now the thing about traits is that we inherit some of them while others are acquired. Acquired traits would denote that the environment we've grown in, the kind of situations we've faced or any other such external factors have made us 'acquire' or 'take on' certain traits. Acquired traits would mainly refer to the behavior patterns. But inherited traits in humans is exactly the way it sounds - we inherit them. And the simplest way by which we can understand this is if we look at a pair of siblings. Chances are that they will look similar, have similar features, and have certain characteristic behavior patterns that they share. This is because they have inherited the traits.

There are several such inherited traits. In fact, we rarely ever stop to think about these genetic traits in humans because they have been 'wired' into us (for the lack of a better word). They are ingrained and we therefore do not distinguish. There is inherited behavior in humans like anger or cooking abilities, and these are more difficult to notice. What are more easily observable are the physical inherited traits and that is what we will be dealing with today. So let us try and shed light on some of these traits through the following article. All in all, it'll make for a very interesting read and tell you a little something more about human genetics.

List of Inherited Traits

Traits are passed on from parent to child through genes and chromosomes which are made up of DNA. There are only 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human body (1 from each parent) but each of these chromosomes has several thousand genes in them. Some genes are dominant while others are recessive. The dominant genes are responsible for traits in humans, while recessive genes will only come into action if the dominant genes are missing. Thus it is these genes that will decide the inherited traits in humans.

Here is a list of the commonly inherited traits. Use this list to see which category you fall under.

Earlobes

There are two kinds of earlobes. The attached earlobes and the detached earlobes. Attached earlobes are those in which the lobes are joined to the side of the head. They appear to be one complete structure. Whereas detached earlobes are those in which the lobe seems as if it is detached. They appear hanging from the ear.

Dimples

Notice how some people have dimples while others don't? That's because a dimple is caused due to a dominant gene which carries the 'dimple' trait. People who do not have dimples carry a recessive gene of the 'dimple' trait and therefore they do not have dimples.

Sometimes we also see that the parents might not have dimples and yet a child has them. This is because they are passed on from the grandparents or even great-grandparents. The dimple trait which remained a recessive gene during the parents' conception, will have become a dominant gene during the grandchild's conception and therefore comes about in the form of a dimple.

Tongue Rolling

Some people are able to roll their tongue while others can't. This is due to the working of the dominant and recessive gene. Some people have the dominant gene which enables then to roll their tongue while others don't. What is interesting to note is that it is a single gene that is responsible for the presence or lack of tongue rolling. And here's something to think about, 30% of all identical twins do not share the trait.

Cleft Chin

A cleft chin is rather uncommon and comes about in people as a result of a dominant gene and a recessive smooth chin gene. While in the majority of the human race, it works the other way round.

Hair Line

Notice how some people have a straight hairline and others might have a widow's peak? Let's get to the root of that. Most genes have variations in them called alleles. These determine the way things will shape up. For example, the hairline shape has two alleles - the widow's peak or straight. The factor which determines whether a person will have a straight hairline or a widow's peak is determined by the fact whether the alleles (1 from each parent) are two identical ones or not (recessive or dominant). When a dominant and recessive allele mix, the dominant trait will be observed. Which means that if a child gets a dominant straight hairline shape from one parent and a widow's peak from the other, his hairline will be straight (since it is dominant). It is only if there are two recessive genes that come together that they will manifest to form the corresponding hairline. If not, then as a rule, the dominant allele will form the result.

Freckles

These are caused by a dominant gene and their absence denotes a recessive gene.

Hair Appearance

Some people have straight hair while others have curly or wavy. It has been studied that curly hair is a dominant trait whereas straight is recessive. So for all of you who have straight hair, it is because of two recessive genes that it has come about.

Hand Clasping

Try this experiment. Clasp your hands together and interlock your fingers without thinking. Now check which thumb is on top - the right or left. There is no explanation for this one. But studies have found that 55% of people place their left thumb up, while 45% place their right. Even though this has no significance, it is rather interesting, won't you say?

Second Toe

Some people's second toe (after the big toe) is shorter than their big toe. While others' are longer than the big toe's length. There are theories that are formed that the latter means that the person is dominating, but that is of course, not genetics.

PTC Tasting

For some, the chemical Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) tastes very bitter while for others it has no taste.

Thumb

Look at your thumb carefully - is it a straight thumb or a hitchhiker's thumb (one that is slightly bent backwards). A hitchhiker's thumb is rarer than a straight thumb.

Allergies

Many people inherit allergies from their parents. It is not necessarily always external factors that cause them. If a parent or both parents have some form of allergies, then there is a high chance that they'll be genetically passed on to the child.

Colorblindness

Colorblindness comes about because of a recessive allele that is present in the X chromosome. Since women have two X chromosomes, and one of these has the normal color vision allele, colorblindness in women is less likely. Whereas since men have only one X chromosome, and they happen to inherit one which has the allele for colorblindness, it will come about as a trait. Hence men suffer from this condition more than women do.

Vulcan Sign

Here is an interesting thing to try out. Spread your palm out and then try to do a Vulcan sign. Join the index and middle finger together and the fourth and the pinkie together to form a 'V' sign. (Keep the thumb out of this!) Can you do it? Or is it a strain? Some people can do it easily while others just can't!