Five human matings (1–5), identified by both maternal and paternal phenotypes for ABO and MN blood-group antigen status, are shown on the left side of the following table:

Each mating resulted in one of the five offspring shown in the right-hand column (a–e). Match each offspring with one correct set of parents, using each parental set only once. Is there more than one set of correct answers?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the inheritance patterns for both ABO and MN blood groups. The ABO blood group is determined by three alleles (I^A, I^B, and i), where I^A and I^B are codominant and i is recessive. The MN blood group is determined by two codominant alleles (M and N).
2. Step 2: For each parental pair, list the possible genotypes based on their phenotypes. For example, a parent with blood group A could be I^A I^A or I^A i, and a parent with blood group AB must be I^A I^B. Similarly, for MN, a parent with phenotype M could be M M or M N, and N must be N N.
3. Step 3: Determine all possible offspring genotypes for each parental pair by combining the parental alleles for both ABO and MN systems. Use Punnett squares or allele combination tables to find all possible offspring phenotypes.
4. Step 4: Match each offspring phenotype (a–e) to the parental pair (1–5) whose possible offspring phenotypes include that offspring. Remember to consider both ABO and MN phenotypes together for accurate matching.
5. Step 5: After matching all offspring to parental pairs, check if any offspring phenotype can be produced by more than one parental pair. This will help determine if there is more than one correct set of answers.

Key Concepts

ABO Blood Group Inheritance

The ABO blood group system is determined by three alleles (A, B, and O) with A and B being codominant and O recessive. Each individual inherits one allele from each parent, and the combination determines the blood type. Understanding parental genotypes helps predict possible offspring blood types.

MN Blood Group Inheritance

The MN blood group is controlled by two codominant alleles, M and N, located on a single gene. Individuals can be MM, MN, or NN, and the phenotype reflects the presence of these alleles. Parental MN genotypes determine the possible MN phenotypes in offspring.

Genetic Matching and Phenotypic Prediction

Matching offspring phenotypes to parental phenotypes requires understanding how alleles combine and segregate during reproduction. By analyzing both ABO and MN systems, one can predict which offspring phenotypes are possible from given parental pairs and determine if multiple parental sets can produce the same offspring phenotype.