germline allele origin Derived from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/genetics-dictionary/def/germline-variant and https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/mutationsanddisorders/genemutation hereditary We distinguish germline, somatic, and de novo allele origin based on a combination two key criteria - whether the allele *inherited* from a parent, and whether it is *heritble' by offspring. Germline variants are both *inherited* (present constitutively in a parent and passed down to offspring) and *heritable* (passable down to future offspring). By contrast, somatic variants are neither inherited or heritable - having originated via a spontaneous mutation in a non-germ cell. Traits caused by de novo mutations in germ cells are not inherited but are typically heritable, as they originated through a spontaneous mutation that made them present a germ cells. parental origin Describes an allele that is inherited from a parent in virtue of the allele being present in the germline of one of the parents. parentally inherited inherited allele origin