Wizard Genetics

[Jami DeQuardo]

No: HPFGUIDX 88781

> "drjuliehoward" <drjuliehoward at y...> wrote:
>> How is magic passed down genetically?
>> 1.  It cannot be Dominant, given that there are squibs and mudbloods.
>> 2.  It cannot be complete recessive, given that there are halfbloods.
>> 3.  At what point is a wizard a pureblood?
>> 4.  Is magic genetic at all?

Andrew" <baseball_07_05 at yahoo.com> replied:
> Basic high school genetics here, which could account for all of
> this. There would have to be two chromosomes attached to this trait.
> One dominant magic charactaristic that would explain why a wizard
> almost always has a magical child. And one recessive to explain why
> there may suddenly appear a magical person in a totally muggle
> family. I'll attempt to draw a simple picture here for you.
>
> w=wizard recessive
> W=wizard dominant
> m=muggle recessive
> M=muggle dominant
>
>
>                    M    w
>               M  0 MM 0 Mw 0
>               w  0 Mw 0 ww 0
> 1   In one case,MM, the child will be totally muggle.
> 2   In the second case, Mw, the child will be a muggle, but will
> carry the wizard chromosome (which in a later generation, if paired
> with another recessive w gene, it will create on possible wizard)
> 3   In the last case, ww, the child is magical.
> 4   1/4 chances of a magical child.
>
> There may also be a magical dominant trait which when paired with a
> muggle dominant trait, it will over power the muggle trait.
>                   M     w
>              W 0 WM 0 Ww 0
>              w 0 Mw 0 ww 0
> 1   The case, WM, wizard overpowers muggle creating a wizard child
> with a muggle trait, which may evenutally lead to a squib in a later
> generation.
> 2   The case, Ww, leaves a magical child. Possible problem with
> squib in later generation, if paired with a M dominant trait.
> 3   The case, Mw, creates a muggle(squib), with a recessive wizard
> gene.
> 4   The last case, ww, creates a wizard.
>
> This seems highly simplified but is illustrated to the best of my
> ability. Perhaps there is a biology professor/teacher out there that
> can provide another explanation.
>
> Andrew
>

A Science Geek still working somewhat in the Genetics Field Replies:
If it were purely a genetically inheirited trait, then someone like 
Hermione or any other of the numerous muggleborns would have some great 
aunt or cousin who was also known as going to some odd school in 
Scotland and for making things happen.      Most especially Hermione 
who loves her research. And if it were a mutant manifestation, then I 
think it would be very rare.  I don't think magic is a "trait" that 
follows Mendelian Genetics at all.  I think we have to accept there is 
some **magic** involved.  Unless, it is a genetic syndrome of sorts 
that is an aberration of one particular c-some pair or such.  Perhaps 
one that its spontaneous manifestation (muggleborn) is caused by some 
unwitting catalyst during conception, pregnancy or birth.  However, 
once the mutation (from normal) establishes itself in the genome of the 
witch or wizard, they go on ahead to pass it on as a simple and typical 
mendelian trait--most likely dominant is my guess.  This would also 
allow for squibs who are both simple recessive gene carriers and may 
even have simply occurred because the original mutation or aberration 
corrected itself.

Arya (who snipped off and trashed this whole big stupid theory I had 
using Introns to explain magic. It was just too crazy.)