Can a man with blue eyes and a woman with blue eyes have a child with brown eyes?

Question

Can a man with blue eyes and a woman with blue eyes have a child with brown eyes?

Answer 1

Eye color and coloration in general is a complex system of not just the expression of a few genes, but many.  Some expressing their protein product at greater levels than others and thus having more of an influence on that particular phenotype characteristic.

If blue eyed parents (homozygous recessive) create children with brown eyes, is rare. While it can happen I guess, it has to be rare.

See: http://www.earthlife.net/insects/evolve....

Also see: http://www.biology.iupui.edu/biocourses/...

As for genes skipping a generation, I don't think that really happens. Because gene expression is complex and the degree of effect depends upon a number of variables, it only "appears" to skip a generation.  All genes, both recessive and dominate get expressed to one degree or another.  If a gene appears to skip a generation it's because that gene isn't synthesizing protein at the level it should. Perhaps it is being masked by other genes.  If a gene is not creating a certain amount of its protein, the effect of that protein will be minimal. Thus, the appearance of skipping a generation.

See: Factors Affecting Gene Expression

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec22/ch327/ch...

  

Answer 2

Actually, it is highly unlikely that two  blue eyed parents will have brown eyed children. Blue eyes are a recessive trait, while brown are dominant. blue eyed people possess two blue eyed genes (bb)  -only with both eye color genes for blue can this recessive trait be displayed. If someone has one brown eyed gene and one blue eyed gene (Bb), their eyes are brown, because brown is dominant. If two parents are both blue eyed, they each have two blue eye genes(bb), and neither of them have the brown eye gene to pass on and cause brown eyes in a child. (the child receives one eye color gene from each parent). It is possible, but not very likely.

Two brown eyed parents can, however, have a baby with blue eyes. Like I said, some brown eyed people posses one gene for blue eyes that is masked by the other dominant brown eye gene (Bb). If they have a child with another person with this genotype (Bb) there is a 25% chance a child will receive the recessive blue ey (b) gene from each parent, giving them the genotype "bb" and blue eyes.

Obviously there are other eye colors out their that are a result of partial dominance, or codominance. But if we are strictly talking brown and blue eyes, i believe I am correct.

Answer 3

Yes. Surprisingly enough my entire KNOWN family on my fathers side had brown eyes, and my entire KNOWN family on my mothers side had blue or gray eyes. I have bright green eyes - sometimes there are relatives further back you don't know about that may have had these traits that can be passed on indirectly. =)

Answer 4

yes..... many traits can skip a generation.... its genetics

Answer 5

i suppose its possible

blue eyes are recessive over the dominant brown, but if both parents have blue then the offsprings can get either brown or blue

Answer 6

No, blue eyes are recessive. In order to express blue eyes you must not have a brown eye allele.

You were adopted :P  

Answer 7

Yes,

if say a man had a parent who carried the brown eyed

gene than the brown eyes could show up in the child.

Sometimes genes skip generations. Even if you just carry

the recessive gene it can show up in offspring down the

line.

Answer 8

yes its all to do with chromosomes and genetics and what not just google it

Answer 9

Yes. A child of two perfectly healthy parents can get cancer- a random mutation. It is not likely but it is possible.

Answer 10

No they can't. The people saying "it can skip a generation" are wrong. Blue eyes can skip a generation because that's recessive. In order for eyes to be blue both of the eye color genes must be for blue eyes. If both parents have blue eyes that means that the only eye color gene that can be passed down is blue, nothing else. Two brown eyed parents though could have a blue eyed child because brown eyes are dominant meaning, if they have a blue eye gene and a brown eye gene brown will be seen.

Overall the answer is no it's impossible.  

Answer 11

Absolutely. If both their parents all had brown eyes, its actually very likely.