Acquired and Inherited Traits

Introduction 

All living things can create new versions of themselves, and each of their cells contains a nucleus that contains chromosomes. Each of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans contains thousands of genes. The information that determines the personality or trait passed down from parent to child and shapes an individual’s identity can be carried by a gene. Because genes do not carry information about qualities, some traits are not passed down from parents. i.e., not DNA-encoded. These are acquired by repeated activities, injuries, illnesses, or other environmental factors and are not inherited. It might affect the organism’s general phenotype.

What are Acquired Traits?

A characteristic that emerges to alter the processes of development in an uncommon setting is known as an acquired trait. It contains traits that are both behavioral and physical.

Darwin, Lamarck, and Acquired Traits

Lamarck and Acquired Traits

• According to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, acquired characteristics can be passed down through the generations. He believed that organisms could change how they behaved in response to their surroundings and that the acquired traits might be passed down to their progeny. 
• Giraffes, for instance, lengthen their necks to reach the leaves of higher trees for food. There is a chance that future generations of offspring will also have long necks. 
• He therefore initially postulated that acquired attributes are passed down from parent to child, which may help the population’s young members to be environment friendly.

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Darwin and Acquired Traits

• Lamarck’s theory was initially accepted by Charles Darwin in his first book, Theory of Evolution. 
• He held the view that a species does not evolve as a result of changes to an organism. 
• The variations among members of the same species of organisms help them survive in the environment. 
• He saw various instances in real life that demonstrated how someone could exercise, run, eat properly, and become healthy, but fitness is not passed down from parent to offspring. 
• Later, when he had convincing proof that acquired qualities are not passed down to succeeding generations, he withdrew Lamarck’s idea.

Acquired Traits Examples

Acquired traits are received from the environment. The following are some examples of acquired traits: 

• Example 1: It’s not necessary for a person born to be a bodybuilder to have incredibly huge muscles. Even after training and frequent exercise, the larger muscles are a learned trait; they cannot be passed from parent to child.
• Example 2: An animal’s characteristics that determine its size, weight, and health are dependent on the food it consumes. It can alter the color of the animal’s body in some cases. Flamingos have white feathers at birth and eat larvae, algae, and shrimp for food. The presence of beta-carotene in algae and several other meals causes the bird’s feathers to turn pink. As a result, color is the acquired attribute in this case.

Inherited and Acquired Traits

Inherited traits	Acquired traits These
These characteristics can be passed on from one generation to the next.	These traits or characteristics evolved as a result of the environment’s response and are not passed down to subsequent generations.
It can be developed from an individual’s birth.	It may evolve throughout a person’s lifetime.
Since it is somatic, evolution cannot benefit from it.	Directly evolved through genetic variation.
These traits can be passed on through DNA inheritance.	These traits can be learned and seen; they are not inherited.
Examples include color blindness, nose shape, hair, eye, and eye color	Examples include losing muscular mass, losing a finger in an accident, losing body weight, and losing abilities.

Purchased Traits

Characters or traits that have been acquired are those that have been purchased via particular efforts based on physical and environmental factors. Throughout a person’s lifetime, these traits develop. It could be a behavioral or physical characteristic.

Physical trait behavioral	Behavioral traits
Hairstyle Hair dyeing Scars Weight and height of the body Broken bones Tattoos	Dancing Learning skills Writing Reading Swimming Painting Playing games

Inheritance Laws

Gregor Johann Mendel used his research on pea plants to explain the theory of inherited qualities. He said that the features in phenotype that are visible are known as dominant traits, and the traits in phenotype that are invisible are known as recessive traits.

Mendel applied the following laws of inheritance to understand the inherited traits:

First Law: Law of Dominance

When two different character types exist in an adult, only one of them manifests in the F1 generation and is referred to as the dominant trait, while the other one does not manifest and is referred to as a recessive trait.

Second Law: Law of Segregation

Although one of the two is not visible in the F1 generation, the alleles do not mix and are retrieved as such in the F2 generation. This law is also known as the gamete purity law.

Third Law: Law of Independent Assortment

When two sets of traits are combined again, one pair of characters can be separated on its own during gamete development.

Summary

A characteristic that emerges to alter the processes of development in an uncommon setting is known as an acquired trait. According to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, acquired characteristics can be passed down through the generations. Lamarck’s theory was initially accepted by Charles Darwin in his first book, The Theory of Evolution. Characters or traits that have been acquired are those that have been purchased via particular efforts based on physical and environmental factors.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When Darwin published his first paper, why did he exclude Lamarck’s Hypothesis?
Ans. Lamarck’s concept was initially accepted by Darwin, but he eventually recognized the compelling evidence that acquired features are not inherited. He consequently deleted the incorrect claim regarding the acquired features.

2. What are Dominant and Recessive Traits?
Ans. Alleles that express their influence on a live organism’s phenotype are known as dominant traits, whereas alleles that do not express this influence are known as recessive traits.

3. Write down Five Traits one can Inherit from his Parents.
Ans.

• Eye color
• Height of tree
• the Shape of nose
• Color blindness
• Blood group

4. In the Course of one’s Life, what Traits or Characteristics does one Acquire?
Ans. Learning abilities, huge muscles, singing, drawing, dancing, swimming, and a myriad of other acquired attributes can all be developed throughout a lifetime.

5. Explain Lamarck’s theory of Acquired Characteristics.
Ans. According to Lamarck, environmental factors can cause organisms to change their behavior or phenotype, and this change can be passed down to succeeding generations. For instance, the ability of the giraffe’s neck to extend to reach tree leaves is passed down to the offspring.