An organism having the genotype AaBbCcDdEe is self-fertilized. Assuming the five genes assort independently, determine the following proportions:


Gametes that are expected to be ABcde.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the genotype of the organism: AaBbCcDdEe. Each gene has two alleles, one dominant (uppercase) and one recessive (lowercase).
2. Understand that the organism is self-fertilized, and the genes assort independently. This means the alleles of each gene segregate independently during gamete formation, following Mendel's law of independent assortment.
3. Determine the probability of each allele being passed to a gamete. For each gene, there is a 50% chance of passing either allele (e.g., A or a, B or b, etc.).
4. Calculate the probability of forming the specific gamete ABcde. This involves multiplying the probabilities of each allele being included in the gamete: P(A) × P(B) × P(c) × P(d) × P(e).
5. Express the final probability as a product of fractions: \( P(A) = \frac{1}{2}, P(B) = \frac{1}{2}, P(c) = \frac{1}{2}, P(d) = \frac{1}{2}, P(e) = \frac{1}{2} \). Therefore, the total probability is \( \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{2} \).

Key Concepts

Independent Assortment

Independent assortment is a fundamental principle of genetics stating that alleles for different genes segregate independently of one another during gamete formation. This means that the inheritance of one trait will not affect the inheritance of another, allowing for a variety of combinations in the offspring.

Gamete Formation

Gamete formation involves the process of meiosis, where diploid cells divide to produce haploid gametes. In the case of the genotype AaBbCcDdEe, each gene can contribute one of its two alleles to the gametes, leading to a diverse array of possible combinations based on the alleles present.

Punnett Square

A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genetic makeup of offspring from a particular cross. By organizing the possible gametes from each parent, it allows for the calculation of the expected proportions of different genotypes and phenotypes in the offspring, facilitating the understanding of inheritance patterns.