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Ch. 4 - Extensions of Mendelian Genetics
Klug - Concepts of Genetics  12th Edition
Klug12th EditionConcepts of Genetics ISBN: 9780135564776Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 4, Problem 16a

Pigment in mouse fur is only produced when the C allele is present. Individuals of the cc genotype are white. If color is present, it may be determined by the A, a alleles. AA or Aa results in agouti color, while aa results in black coats. What F₁ and F₂ genotypic and phenotypic ratios are obtained from a cross between AACC and aacc mice?

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the genotypes of the parent mice: one parent is AACC (homozygous dominant for both loci) and the other is aacc (homozygous recessive for both loci).
Determine the F₁ generation genotypes by performing a Punnett square for each gene separately. Since both parents are homozygous, all F₁ offspring will be heterozygous at both loci, resulting in genotype AaCc.
Analyze the phenotype of the F₁ generation: because the C allele is present (Cc), pigment is produced, and the presence of at least one A allele (Aa) results in agouti color.
For the F₂ generation, perform a dihybrid cross between two F₁ individuals (AaCc × AaCc). Set up a 4x4 Punnett square to determine all possible genotype combinations for the two loci.
From the F₂ genotypes, calculate the phenotypic ratios by applying the dominance rules: only individuals with at least one C allele produce pigment, and among those, AA or Aa genotypes produce agouti color, while aa produces black. Individuals with cc genotype are white regardless of A locus.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Mendelian Inheritance and Allele Segregation

Mendelian inheritance describes how alleles segregate and assort independently during gamete formation. Each parent contributes one allele per gene to the offspring, resulting in predictable genotypic ratios. Understanding this principle is essential to determine the genotypes of F₁ and F₂ generations from parental crosses.
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New Alleles and Migration

Epistasis and Gene Interaction

Epistasis occurs when one gene masks or modifies the expression of another gene. In this case, the C allele controls pigment production, and the A locus determines pigment type only if pigment is produced. Recognizing epistatic relationships helps explain phenotypic ratios beyond simple dominant-recessive patterns.
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Genotypic and Phenotypic Ratios in Dihybrid Crosses

A dihybrid cross involves two genes, each with two alleles, producing combinations in offspring. Calculating genotypic ratios involves listing all allele combinations, while phenotypic ratios consider gene interactions like dominance and epistasis. This concept is crucial for predicting outcomes in the F₁ and F₂ generations.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

With reference to the eye color phenotypes produced by the recessive, autosomal, unlinked brown and scarlet loci in Drosophila, predict the F₁ and F₂ results of the following P₁ crosses. (Recall that when both the brown and scarlet alleles are homozygous, no pigment is produced, and the eyes are white.)

Wild type x White

562
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Textbook Question

With reference to the eye color phenotypes produced by the recessive, autosomal, unlinked brown and scarlet loci in Drosophila, predict the F₁ and F₂ results of the following P₁ crosses. (Recall that when both the brown and scarlet alleles are homozygous, no pigment is produced, and the eyes are white.)

Wild type x Scarlet

649
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Textbook Question

With reference to the eye color phenotypes produced by the recessive, autosomal, unlinked brown and scarlet loci in Drosophila, predict the F₁ and F₂ results of the following P₁ crosses. (Recall that when both the brown and scarlet alleles are homozygous, no pigment is produced, and the eyes are white.)

Brown x White

521
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Textbook Question

Pigment in mouse fur is only produced when the C allele is present. Individuals of the cc genotype are white. If color is present, it may be determined by the A, a alleles. AA or Aa results in agouti color, while aa results in black coats. In three crosses between agouti females whose genotypes were unknown and males of the aacc genotype, the following phenotypic ratios were obtained:

(1) 8 agouti

(2) 9 agouti

(3) 4 agouti, 8 white 10 black, 5 black, 10 white

1071
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Textbook Question

In rats, the following genotypes of two independently assorting autosomal genes determine coat color:

A third gene pair on a separate autosome determines whether or not any color will be produced. The CC and Cc genotypes allow color according to the expression of the A and B alleles. However, the cc genotype results in albino rats regardless of the A and B alleles present. Determine the F₁ phenotypic ratio of the following crosses:

AAbbCC×aaBBcc

592
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Textbook Question

In rats, the following genotypes of two independently assorting autosomal genes determine coat color:

A third gene pair on a separate autosome determines whether or not any color will be produced. The CC and Cc genotypes allow color according to the expression of the A and B alleles. However, the cc genotype results in albino rats regardless of the A and B alleles present. Determine the F₁ phenotypic ratio of the following crosses:

AaBbCc×AaBbcc

472
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