2010 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2010. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

---

595

Can someone have a child that has none of their characteristics but still be their's?      Barbara Biesecker, M.S.: Barb Biesecker directs the JHU/NHGRI Genetic Counseling Training Program and has been doing genetic counseling for thirty years. Her primary interests are in achieving quality of life for those affected with a genetic condition or at risk. Children share half of their genetic information in common with each of their parents. Many of our characteristics are highly heritable such as height and skin color. But other characteristics like personality are influenced by genetics but not as directly determined by our genes. So it depends upon what characteristics you are asking about. Usually children resemble their parents. But in some cases less obviously. In a rare situation, a child may inherit a condition like albinism and have very pale skin, blue eyes and white hair and have parents who are dark skinned. The child still shares half his/her genes in common with each parent, but a gene mutation for albinism overshadows the physical expression of other genes. Brownsville Area High School in PA (9th grade student)

---

< View ALL questions and answers from 2010

Or, search the 2010 transcript by keyword:
(short, single keywords work best at first)