Skip to main content
Pearson+ LogoPearson+ Logo
Ch. 4 - Gene Interaction
Sanders - Genetic Analysis: An Integrated Approach 3rd Edition
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 4, Problem 21a

A male and a female mouse are each from pure-breeding albino strains. They have a litter of 10 pups, all of which have normal pigmentation. The F₁ pups are crossed to one another to produce 56 F₂ mice, of which 31 are normally pigmented and 25 are albino.
Using clearly defined allele symbols of your own choosing, give the genotypes of parental and F₁ mice. What genetic phenomenon explains these parental and F₁ phenotypes?

Verified step by step guidance
1
Define allele symbols: Let 'A' represent the dominant allele for normal pigmentation and 'a' represent the recessive allele for albinism. Since the parental mice are pure-breeding albino strains, their genotypes must both be 'aa'.
Determine the F₁ generation genotypes: The F₁ pups all have normal pigmentation, which indicates that they are heterozygous ('Aa'). This is because they inherit one 'a' allele from each parent and the dominant 'A' allele masks the recessive 'a' allele, resulting in normal pigmentation.
Explain the genetic phenomenon: The observed phenotypes in the F₁ generation are explained by Mendelian inheritance, specifically the principle of dominance, where the dominant allele ('A') masks the expression of the recessive allele ('a').
Analyze the F₂ generation: When the F₁ mice ('Aa') are crossed, the expected genotypic ratio in the F₂ generation is 1:2:1 (1 'AA', 2 'Aa', 1 'aa'), and the phenotypic ratio is 3:1 (3 normal pigmentation: 1 albino). This matches the observed phenotypes of 31 normally pigmented and 25 albino mice, which is approximately a 3:1 ratio.
Summarize the genotypes: The parental mice are 'aa' (albino), the F₁ mice are 'Aa' (normal pigmentation), and the F₂ mice consist of 'AA' (normal pigmentation), 'Aa' (normal pigmentation), and 'aa' (albino) individuals. The genetic phenomenon is Mendelian inheritance with complete dominance.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
4m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

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

Mendelian Inheritance

Mendelian inheritance refers to the principles of heredity established by Gregor Mendel, which include the concepts of dominant and recessive alleles. In this case, the albino trait is likely recessive, while normal pigmentation is dominant. This means that the albino mice must have two copies of the recessive allele, while the normal mice can have either one or two copies of the dominant allele.
Recommended video:
Guided course
05:13
Organelle Inheritance

Genotype and Phenotype

The genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the alleles it carries, while the phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics resulting from the genotype. In this scenario, the parental genotypes can be represented as 'aa' for albino (homozygous recessive) and 'AA' or 'Aa' for normal pigmentation (homozygous dominant or heterozygous). The F₁ generation, being offspring of these parents, will all exhibit the dominant phenotype.
Recommended video:
Guided course
07:52
Gamete Genotypes

Punnett Square

A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross. By filling out a Punnett square for the F₁ generation, we can visualize the potential combinations of alleles when the F₁ mice are crossed. This tool helps explain the observed 31 normally pigmented and 25 albino F₂ mice, confirming the expected 3:1 ratio of dominant to recessive phenotypes in a monohybrid cross.
Recommended video:
Guided course
18:27
Chi Square Analysis
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Feather color in parakeets is produced by the blending of pigments from two biosynthetic pathways shown below. Four independently assorting genes (A, B, C, and D) produce enzymes that catalyze separate steps of the pathways. For the questions below, use an uppercase letter to indicate a dominant allele producing full enzymatic activity and a lowercase letter to indicate a recessive allele producing no functional enzyme. Feather colors produced by mixing pigments are green (yellow + blue) and purple (red + blue). Red, yellow, and blue feathers result from production of one colored pigment, and white results from absence of pigment production.

If F₁ birds identified in part (c) are mated at random, what phenotypes do you expect in the F₂ generation? What are the ratios among phenotypes? Show your work. 

587
views
Textbook Question

Brachydactyly type D is a human autosomal dominant condition in which the thumbs are abnormally short and broad. In most cases, both thumbs are affected, but occasionally just one thumb is involved. The accompanying pedigree shows a family in which brachydactyly type D is segregating. Filled circles and squares represent females and males who have involvement of both thumbs. Half-filled symbols represent family members with just one thumb affected.

Is there any evidence of variable expressivity in this family? Explain. 

1058
views
Textbook Question

Brachydactyly type D is a human autosomal dominant condition in which the thumbs are abnormally short and broad. In most cases, both thumbs are affected, but occasionally just one thumb is involved. The accompanying pedigree shows a family in which brachydactyly type D is segregating. Filled circles and squares represent females and males who have involvement of both thumbs. Half-filled symbols represent family members with just one thumb affected.

Is there evidence of incomplete penetrance in this family? Explain. 

839
views
Textbook Question

A male and a female mouse are each from pure-breeding albino strains. They have a litter of 10 pups, all of which have normal pigmentation. The F₁ pups are crossed to one another to produce 56 F₂ mice, of which 31 are normally pigmented and 25 are albino.

What genetic phenomenon explains the F₂ results? Use your allelic symbols to explain the F₂ results.

508
views
Textbook Question

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by moderate to severe sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light. Patients develop multiple skin lesions on UV-exposed skin, and skin cancers often develop as a result. XP is caused by deficient repair of DNA damage from UV exposure. Many genes are known to be involved in repair of UV-induced DNA damage, and several of these genes are implicated in XP. What genetic phenomenon is illustrated by XP?

546
views
Textbook Question

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by moderate to severe sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light. Patients develop multiple skin lesions on UV-exposed skin, and skin cancers often develop as a result. XP is caused by deficient repair of DNA damage from UV exposure.


A series of 10 skin-cell lines was grown from different XP patients. Cells from these lines were fused, and the heterokaryons were tested for genetic complementation by assaying their ability to repair DNA damage caused by a moderate amount of UV exposure. In the table below, '+' indicates that the fusion cell line performs normal DNA damage mutation repair, and '−' indicates defective DNA repair. Use this information to determine how many DNA-repair genes are mutated in the 10 cell lines, and identify which cell lines share the same mutated genes. 

1054
views