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Ch. 5 - Genetic Linkage and Mapping in Eukaryotes
Sanders - Genetic Analysis: An Integrated Approach 3rd Edition
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 5, Problem 4

Genes E and H are syntenic in an experimental organism with the genotype EH/eh. Assume that during each meiosis, one crossover occurs between these genes. No homologous chromosomes escape crossover, and none undergo double crossover. Are genes E and H genetically linked? Why or why not? What is the proportion of parental gametes produced by meiosis?

Verified step by step guidance
1
span>1. Understand the concept of synteny: Genes E and H are located on the same chromosome, which means they are syntenic. This is a key factor in determining genetic linkage.
span>2. Define genetic linkage: Genes are considered genetically linked if they are located close to each other on the same chromosome and tend to be inherited together because they do not assort independently.
span>3. Analyze the crossover scenario: Since one crossover occurs between genes E and H during each meiosis, this will affect the linkage. A crossover event can separate linked genes, leading to recombinant gametes.
span>4. Determine the proportion of parental gametes: In this scenario, since one crossover occurs, half of the gametes will be parental (EH and eh) and half will be recombinant (Eh and eH). This is because each crossover event results in two parental and two recombinant chromatids.
span>5. Conclude on genetic linkage: Despite being syntenic, genes E and H are not genetically linked in this scenario because the crossover ensures that parental and recombinant gametes are produced in equal proportions.

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Key Concepts

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

Genetic Linkage

Genetic linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. When genes are syntenic, they are physically located on the same chromosome, which can lead to a lower frequency of recombination between them. If genes E and H are genetically linked, they will produce more parental gametes than recombinant gametes due to their proximity.
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Crossover and Recombination

Crossover is a process during meiosis where homologous chromosomes exchange segments of genetic material, leading to genetic recombination. In this scenario, with one crossover occurring between genes E and H, the resulting gametes will include both parental types and recombinant types. The frequency of these types depends on the distance between the genes; closer genes result in fewer recombinant gametes.
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Parental and Recombinant Gametes

Parental gametes are those that contain the original combinations of alleles from the parents, while recombinant gametes have new combinations due to crossover events. In the case of the genotype EH/eh, if one crossover occurs between E and H, the expected ratio of parental to recombinant gametes can be calculated. This ratio helps determine the genetic linkage and the degree of recombination between the genes.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

In a diploid species of plant, the genes for plant height and fruit shape are syntenic and separated by 18 m.u. Allele D produces tall plants and is dominant to d for short plants, and allele R produces round fruit and is dominant to r for oval fruit.


Give the same information for a plant with the genotype Dr/dR.

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Textbook Question

A pure-breeding tall plant producing oval fruit as described in Problem 2 is crossed to a pure-breeding short plant producing round fruit.


The F₁ are crossed to short plants producing oval fruit. What are the expected proportions of progeny phenotypes?

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Textbook Question

A pure-breeding tall plant producing oval fruit as described in Problem 2 is crossed to a pure-breeding short plant producing round fruit.


If the F₁ identified in part (a) are crossed to one another, what proportion of the F₂ are expected to be short and produce round fruit? What proportion are expected to be tall and produce round fruit?

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Textbook Question

In tomato plants, purple leaf color is controlled by a dominant allele A, and green leaf by a recessive allele a. At another locus, hairy leaf H is dominant to hairless leaf h. The genes for leaf color and leaf texture are separated by 16 m.u. on chromosome 5. On chromosome 4, a gene controlling leaf shape has two alleles: a dominant allele C that produces cut-leaf shape and a recessive allele c that produces potato-shaped leaves.

The cross of a purple, hairy, cut plant heterozygous at each gene to a green, hairless potato plant produces the following progeny:

 

Give the genotypes of parental and progeny plants in this experiment.

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Textbook Question

In tomato plants, purple leaf color is controlled by a dominant allele A, and green leaf by a recessive allele a. At another locus, hairy leaf H is dominant to hairless leaf h. The genes for leaf color and leaf texture are separated by 16 m.u. on chromosome 5. On chromosome 4, a gene controlling leaf shape has two alleles: a dominant allele C that produces cut-leaf shape and a recessive allele c that produces potato-shaped leaves.

Fully explain the number and frequency of each phenotype class.

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Textbook Question

In Drosophila, the map positions of genes are given in map units numbering from one end of a chromosome to the other. The X chromosome of Drosophila is 66 m.u. long. The X-linked gene for body color—with two alleles, y⁺ for gray body and y for yellow body—resides at one end of the chromosome at map position 0.0. A nearby locus for eye color, with alleles w⁺ for red eye and w for white eye, is located at map position 1.5. A third X-linked gene, controlling bristle form, with f⁺ for normal bristles and f for forked bristles, is located at map position 56.7. At each locus the wild-type allele is dominant over the mutant allele.


In a cross involving these three X-linked genes, do you expect any gene pair(s) to show genetic linkage? Explain your reasoning.

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