Genetics Behind Your Blood Type — Reading Comprehension

Imagine learning a secret about yourself that's been hidden in your body since before you were born. This secret is your blood type, and it's determined by the amazing world of genetics! Just like your eye color or hair color, your blood type is a trait you inherit from your parents. Understanding blood types helps us with important medical procedures like blood transfusions, where someone receives blood from another person.

So, how does it all work? Inside every one of your cells, you have tiny instructions called genes. These genes are found on structures called chromosomes and are like a recipe book for your body. For blood type, there's a specific gene that has three possible versions, or alleles: A, B, and O. You get two copies of this gene, one from your mother and one from your father. The combination of these two alleles determines your blood type.

Let's look at the different blood types. If you inherit an A allele from one parent and an A allele from the other, your blood type will be A. Similarly, if you get two B alleles, your blood type will be B. What if you get an A allele and a B allele? This is where it gets interesting! Both A and B alleles are dominant, meaning if they are present, their trait will show up. So, if you have both A and B, your blood type will be AB. This is a special kind of inheritance called codominance, where both traits appear together.

The O allele is recessive. This means the O trait only shows up if you inherit two O alleles (one from each parent). If you inherit an A and an O allele, your blood type will be A because the A allele is dominant over O. The same goes for B and O; your blood type would be B. So, to have type O blood, you must inherit an O from both your mother and your father. This system of inheritance, with dominant and recessive alleles, is a classic example of Mendelian inheritance.

Your blood type is a permanent part of your identity, determined by the genetic lottery you won at conception. It's a fantastic example of how genes and alleles interact to create the unique you! The study of how traits are passed from parents to offspring is called heredity, a core concept in biology.

Interesting Fact: Type O negative blood is often called the “universal donor” because it can usually be given to people of all blood types in emergencies.

Which of these is NOT a possible allele for blood type?

What determines your blood type?

If you have an A and an O allele, what is your blood type?

What happens if you inherit an A allele and a B allele?

Why is the O allele considered recessive?

Which scenario results in Type O blood?

What is the relationship between genes and alleles?

Blood type is a fixed trait from birth. (True/False)

A child has Type AB blood. What alleles did they inherit?

What does 'heredity' refer to?