Difference between Linkage and Crossing Over

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Sharp Tutor
This presentation will be discussing the types of linkages of genes and an introduction to crossing-over. Linkage occurs when two genes are closer to each other on the same chromosome. Crossing Over enables the separation of genes in a chromosome and separates it into various gametes.
1. LINKAGE AND CROSSING OVER
Dr V.P.Saini
Prof. & Dean
College of Fisheries, Kishanganj
2. The number of genes in an organism far exceeds the
number of chromosome.
Gene tally for Daphnia pulex, around 31,000
genes, stack up against other organisms?
Humans have about 23,000 genes – close in
number to mice, roundworms, and a small
flowering plant called Arabidopsis thaliana. Fruit
flies have about 14,000 genes, yeast has about
6,000, and E. coli bacteria about 3,200.Zebrafish
has more than 5000 genes
A single chromosome bears several genes.
3. LINKED GENES
 Genes present at the same locus have the tendency to be linked
together from one generation to the other and are not disturbed
by the meiotic recombination.
 Linkage is defined as “the tendency of genes to remain
together during the process of inheritance”.
 When two loci were linked genetically on the same
chromosome they did not segregate.
 Extent of linkage - closer the genes, stronger the linkage and
vice versa.
 Linkage of genes is in the linear fashion in the chromosomes.
4. LINKAGE
 The genes that show linkage are located on the
same chromosome.
 A linkage group is formed by all the linked genes in
a chromosome.
The strength of linkage between two genes is directly
proportional to the distance between them.
5. TYPES OF LINKAGE
i) Complete Linkage
 When two or more genes tend to remain
together on the same chromosome and
are inherited together for many generations,
the phenomenon is known as complete
linkage.
 Happen when chromosomes do not
undergo any breakage by accident during
gametogenesis.
6. ii) Incomplete Linkage
 When the linked genes tend to separate on
some occasions during the course of
inheritance, the phenomenon is known as
incomplete linkage.
 Occurs in the process of crossing over
during gametogenesis.
 The genes present on the homologous part
of sex chromosomes exhibit the
phenomenon of incomplete linkage.
7. AUTOSOMAL & SEX LINKAGE
 Autosomal linkage- the linked genes are present on the
autosomes.
Sex linkage- the linked genes are present on the sex
chromosomes.
 Linkage groups in fish-detected by Winge (1923).
 E.g., the Xvi and Xel genes in the guppy are linked
on the X chromosome.
 Although both genes may cross over to the Y
chromosome, it is assumed that they are located
only on the X chromosome.
8. The physical exchange of parts of non-sister
chromatids of homologous chromosomes
following synapsis at meiosis is known as
crossing-over.
Results in the recombination of genes.
1,or 2, or more fragments may be interchanged
during crossing-over.
9.
10.  Frequency of crossing over of a given pair of genes is
not constant.
 Crossing over frequencies are higher in the female sex
than in males.
 Temperature, nutrition, sex, age, etc. influence crossing
over.
 It is a part of meiotic mechanism during gametogenesis.
 Brings about variation and leads to evolution through
natural selection.
11. 1. SINGLE CROSSING-OVER
 Only one chromatid of each chromosome is
involved in single crossing over.
Single crossing over is of most frequent
occurrence.
12. 2. DOUBLE CROSSING-OVER
Both the chiasmata may be between the same
chromatids or between different chromatids.
Two, or three, or all the four chromatids of the
homologous pairs of chromosomes are involved in
the process of double crossing-over.
Double cross-over gametes are produced.
This is of less frequent occurrence.
13.
14. 3. MULTIPLE CROSSING-OVER
More than two chiasmata are formed.
Corresponding to the number of chiasmata
formed, it is called triple (3 chiasmata),
quadruple (4 chiasmata), and so on.
Multiple crossing-over does not occur frequently.
15. SIGNIFICANCE
 Provides a direct evidence of the linear
arrangement of genes in the chromosomes.
Chromosome maps can be constructed.
Gives rise to new combinations of genes, and
hence, variations in offspring.
16. CHROMOSOME MAPPING
Sturtevant, (1913) constructed first chromosome
map showing the position genes on the X
chromosome
Genetic maps of chromosomes are also known
as chromosome maps.
17. GENE MAPPING
 Refers to the analysis
of loci on the genome
revealing the linear
order of different genes
on the chromosomes.
Two types of gene
maps.
1)Physical maps
2)Genetic maps
18. PHYSICAL MAPS
 Based on the assignment of loci to chromosomes.
Accomplished by the methods
1) somatic cell hybrid panels,
2) in situ hybridization,
3) comparative mapping.
In physical maps the coordinates are the chromosome
regions or bands.
The distance between two loci are measured in kilobases.
19. GENETIC MAPS
Constructed by studying the meiotic recombination
between two or more loci through linkage analysis.
A new locus are assigned to a chromosome following the
inheritance of the new locus and of an already mapped
Do not provide an absolute location of loci but they
reveal the genetic distance of the loci as a function of the
frequency of crossing-overs occurring during
Provides an ordered array or sequence tagged sites
along the chromosome.
20. GENETIC DISTANCE
Expressed in units of crossing over or centimorgan (cM).
One CM equals 1% crossing over and contains
approximately 1000 kb.
i.e, two loci which show 1% recombination are 1 CM apart on
a genetic map.
In a linkage a new locus is assigned based on an already
known locus.
It shows that a reference locus is a prerequisite for the
purpose.
21. One map unit is defined as the linkage distance
that yields 1% recombination.
When a large number of genes are mapped in
any given species, the genes are observed to
occur in linkage groups, with one linkage group
corresponding to each pair of chromosomes.
22. FISH – (Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization)
Highly effective, rapid technique for use in gene mapping.
Probes are labeled with fluorochrome dyes which
fluoresce in different colours when excited by UV–light.
Location of the probes are visualized under
Epifluoresence microscope.
23. CHROMOSOME PAINTING
It is one of the application of FISH techniques.
The direct visualization of specific chromosomes by
fluorescent detection by hybridized labeled whole
chromosome probes is called Chromosomes painting.
Used to improve the accuracy of cytogenetic studies,
closing the gap between cytogenetic and molecular
analysis.
24. Whole chromosomes specific probes are called ‘paints’.
Used in identification of species specific chromosomes
among somatic cell hybrids.
Used in detection of Chromosomal rearrangements or
abnormalities for which no locus–specific probes are
25. THANK YOU