Wizard genetics

[ken302532]

No: HPFGUIDX 183638

> Catlady:
> I agree that the genetics of magic must involve quite a number of
> gene pairs, because simple Mendelian inheritance wouldn't account
> for wizarding folk having different amounts of innate magical
> power and being better at some forms of magic than others, and
> the magical alleles of these genes must be loose in the Muggle
> population or there wouldn't be Muggleborns.
>
> I have tried, unsuccessfully but not very
> hard, to figure out how mixing these genes around could provide
> 'hybrid vigor', so that Muggleborns would usually be on the high
> side of the power range.


If I understand Catlady  correctly this is termed Polygenic
inheritance, multiple genes, this is actually quite common. Polygenic inheritance for example controls human height, very variable. In poylgenic inheritance the more genes there are for e.g. height, the taller one is, recessive genes don't count/ operate. Obviously if there are many genes for a character the chances of there being hybrid vigour are increased.

The way I envisage this working for control of different levels of
magical power is there to be a series of polygenes, which may be recessive or dominant, the greater the number of dominant genes for magic the more powerful the wizards potential.

Enjoying your debates.
KEN