Which of the following statements about sex linked traits is not correct?
Answer Details
The statement "males are never carriers since they only receive one sex chromosome" is not correct when talking about sex-linked traits.
Sex-linked traits are genetic traits that are carried on the sex chromosomes, specifically the X and Y chromosomes. In humans, females have two X chromosomes (XX) while males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY). Since sex-linked traits are located on the X chromosome, they can be inherited differently between males and females.
Females can be carriers of sex-linked traits because they have two X chromosomes. If a female inherits a defective allele for a sex-linked trait from one parent but a normal allele from the other parent, she can be heterozygous for the trait. In this case, she carries the defective allele but does not express the trait herself. However, she can pass it on to her offspring, both male and female.
On the other hand, males have only one X chromosome. If a male inherits a defective allele for a sex-linked trait on his X chromosome, he will express that trait since he does not have another copy of the X chromosome to mask the effects of the defective allele. Therefore, males are more likely to exhibit sex-linked traits compared to females.
In summary, the statement that males are never carriers since they only receive one sex chromosome is incorrect. Females can be carriers of sex-linked traits, while males are more likely to express the trait if they inherit a defective allele on their single X chromosome.