Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome are both caused by the same genetic deletion on human chromosome 15, but they have very different phenotypes. Whether one or the other syndrome occurs depends upon which parent provided the chromosome with the deletion. What is this pattern of inheritance an example of?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This pattern of inheritance is an example of genomic imprinting, where the phenotype resulting from a specific genetic mutation is different depending on whether the mutation is inherited from the mother or the father. In the case of Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome, the difference in phenotype is due to the parent of origin-specific expression of genes in the region of chromosome 15 that is deleted.

Prader-Willi Syndrome and Angelman Syndrome Are Both Caused by the Same