Which type of inheritance is characterized by the manifestation of a trait in males and females equally, with the trait being passed to offspring regardless of their sex?

• A. Autosomal Recessive
• B. X-linked Dominant
• C. Y-linked
• D. Autosomal Dominant

Answer: (D)

The inheritance type characterized by the manifestation of a trait in both males and females equally, with the ability to pass the trait to offspring regardless of their sex, is autosomal dominant inheritance.

In this form of inheritance, only one copy of the dominant allele is sufficient for the trait to be expressed. Because the genes involved are located on autosomes (non-sex chromosomes), the trait can be passed on to offspring regardless of their sex. This results in both males and females having an equal chance of inheriting and expressing the trait, as there are no biological mechanisms such as X or Y linkage that would favor one sex over the other.

For instance, an individual with one copy of the dominant allele (heterozygous) can pass this allele to any of their children, leading to a 50% chance that each child will express the trait. This shows why the trait is observed in both sexes equally and highlights the defining characteristics of autosomal dominant inheritance.