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sex linkage
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Sex Linkage
In genetics, the tendency for certain characteristics to occur exclusively, or predominantly, in one sex only. Human examples include red-green colour blindness and haemophilia, both found predominantly in males. In both cases, these characteristics are recessive and are determined by genes on the X chromosome.
Since females possess two X chromosomes, any such recessive allele on one of them is likely to be masked by the corresponding allele on the other. In males (who have only one X chromosome paired with a largely inert Y chromosome) any gene on the X chromosome will automatically be expressed. Colour blindness and haemophilia can appear in females, but only if they are homozygous for these traits, due to inbreeding, for example.
© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.
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Red, white, and blue are the pan-Slav colours. The small shields represent Croatia Ancient, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia. The flag is based on the tricolour used during World War II. Effective date: 22 December 1990.
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