Wizard Genetics - Or fun with Mendel's peas..

[Peggy]

No: HPFGUIDX 76090

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, jazmyn <jazmyn at p...> wrote:
> I have my own theory on Wizard genetics. Need a little simple 
Mendel set 
> up though. ;)
> 
> Chromosomes
> w = no magic
> W = Magic
> 
> ww (recessive -muggle- genes) = Muggle
> Ww (Heterozygous muggle/wizard) = Wizard
> WW (Double dominate Wizard gene - Presence of two W genes cancel 
each 
> other out and produce non-magical child) = Squib


Peg:

Jazmyn, I like the principle, but I've been working with the genetics 
literature *a lot* lately.  Mendel had colors down pretty well (BTW, 
did you know he cooked the data a little so the numbers would come 
out better?)  

It's possible (and I think highly likely) that there are multiple 
genetic factors, not just a simple either-or situation.  That's when 
genetics gets really interesting.  For example:

W=Wizarding gene (magical powers)
w=Nonwizarding gene (no magical powers)
M=Muggle proneness (weakens the expression of the W gene)
m=non-Muggle proneness (no effect on expression of the W gene)
P=Wizarding power (strengthens the expression of the W gene)
p=non-Wizarding power (no effect on the expression of the W gene)

I suspect more Muggles are really Squibs, but don't know it, because 
the W gene has been wandering through their "Muggle" family for ages 
and nobody knows about it because they either have the M gene (in a 
double dose) or they lack the P gene.

So what we get are not two possible states (magic and non-Magic), but 
an array of possible states. So, when two individuals get together, 
it's harder to say exactly whether their kids are going to be wizards 
or not.  If both are wizarding type (WW) the likelihood that they'll 
have all Wizarding children is increased, but not guaranteed because 
M and P come into play.  There's also no reason that all of their 
children will be equally powerful.

OK, ready for the possible inheritance part?

For example, two "known" wizards get married.  The male is WwMmPp (a 
wizard but not hugely powerful), the female is WWmmPp (more 
powerful, ;) ).  Since each contributes only half of the genes to 
each offspring, the male produces several possible sets of genes: 
Wmp, WmP, WMP, wMp, wmP, wmp.  And the female produces: WmP, Wmp 
(only two types possible with her genetics).

Now, the chances of any one child having a particular makeup is 
*random*--we don't know which child will be which until a particular 
sperm meets a particular egg.  We've got 6 types of sperm and two 
types of eggs.  But that doesn't mean there are 12 possible types, 
only 6, because of the way the genes interact with each other.

So, what could happen?  A lot:

WWMmPp (moderate wizard-3 chances in 12)
WWmmPP (really powerful wizard-Dumbledore-type-1 chance in 12)
WWMmpp (really weak wizard, maybe a near-Squib-2 chances in 12)
WwMmPp (really weak wizard, but not a near-Squib--Pettigrew type-2 
chances in 12)
WwmmPP (strong, but not astonishing wizard-1 chance in 12)
Wwmmpp (near-Squib, 1 chance in 12)

If you want to work this out for yourself,  write the mother's genes 
at the top of a piece of paper(two columns) and the father's on the 
sides (6 rows) then just write down the combination of genes in 
columns.

So, if they have 6 kids, do they get one of each type?  Not 
necessarily.  The likelihood of a particular type depends only on 
each pregnancy (the "roll of the dice" starts again with no "memory" 
of the previous event).  So, in this case, we get the chance of weak 
to average wizards (WWMmPp, WWMmpp, WWmmPP, WWmmPp-10 chances), a 
single chance of a DD type (WWmmPP), a single chance of a strong 
wizard (WwmmPP), or a near-Squib (Wwmmpp).  That's with each and 
every kid.  Want to bet on how each one turns out?  Your chances on 
this are actually better than that of winning the lottery!

If you try it with different starting genes, of course there are some 
starting states where the likelihood of having all strong wizards or 
all weak wizards or even a few Squibs (wwmmpp) is much better.  

And all of this assumes that the Wizarding gene is dominant, the 
Muggle-proneness gene is dominant and the Powerfulness gene is 
dominant.  That may not be the case . . .  And then there's the 
interaction of the W gene with . . . Oh, heck.  And, you can have all 
the genes, but if you're never educated, you're probably a hazard to 
the community.

Anyway, it would account for the rarity of enormously powerful 
wizards (DD, LV, Harry) and the even greater rarity of Squibs (Filch 
and Figg).

I know, I just wrote a novel.  But it's a theory that's been banging 
around inside my head and I just had to get it out in the open.


Peg