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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 25a

In rabbits, chocolate-colored fur (w⁺) is dominant to white fur (w), straight fur (c⁺) is dominant to curly fur (c), and long ear (s⁺) is dominant to short ear (s). The cross of a trihybrid rabbit with straight, chocolate-colored fur and long ears to a rabbit that has white, curly fur and short ears produces the following results:
Table displaying phenotypes and their corresponding numbers from a trihybrid rabbit cross experiment.
Determine the order of the genes on the chromosome, and identify the alleles that are present on each of the homologous chromosomes in the trihybrid rabbits.

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Identify the parental phenotypes and genotypes. The trihybrid rabbit has straight, chocolate-colored fur and long ears, which corresponds to the dominant alleles (w⁺, c⁺, s⁺). The other parent has white, curly fur, and short ears, corresponding to the recessive alleles (w, c, s).
Step 2: Analyze the phenotypic ratios in the offspring. Look for the two most frequent phenotypes, as these represent the parental combinations of alleles. In this case, the most frequent phenotypes are 'Chocolate, short, straight' and 'White, long, curly'. These are the parental types.
Step 3: Identify the double crossover phenotypes. The least frequent phenotypes represent double crossover events. Here, the least frequent phenotypes are 'White, short, straight' and 'Chocolate, long, curly'.
Step 4: Determine the gene order. Compare the parental phenotypes with the double crossover phenotypes. The gene that differs between the parental and double crossover phenotypes is the middle gene. For example, if the parental phenotypes are 'Chocolate, short, straight' and 'White, long, curly', and the double crossover phenotypes are 'White, short, straight' and 'Chocolate, long, curly', the middle gene can be identified.
Step 5: Assign alleles to the homologous chromosomes. Based on the gene order determined in Step 4, assign the alleles to each homologous chromosome in the trihybrid rabbit. This will involve identifying which alleles are linked together on the same chromosome.

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Key Concepts

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

Gene Linkage

Gene linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. This phenomenon can affect the expected ratios of phenotypes in offspring, as linked genes do not assort independently. Understanding gene linkage is crucial for determining the order of genes on a chromosome and predicting inheritance patterns.
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Alleles and Genotypes

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. An organism's genotype is the combination of alleles it possesses, which determines its phenotype. In the context of the question, identifying the alleles present on each homologous chromosome helps in understanding the genetic makeup of the trihybrid rabbits and predicting their offspring's traits.
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Phenotypic Ratios

Phenotypic ratios represent the relative frequencies of different phenotypes in the offspring resulting from a genetic cross. These ratios can provide insights into the inheritance patterns of traits, especially when analyzing dihybrid or trihybrid crosses. In this case, the observed phenotypic ratios from the rabbit cross can help infer the arrangement of alleles on the chromosomes and the dominance relationships among them.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The boss in your laboratory has just heard of a proposal by another laboratory that genes for eye color and the length of body bristles may be linked in Drosophila. Your lab has numerous pure-breeding stocks of Drosophila that could be used to verify or refute genetic linkage. In Drosophila, red eyes (c⁺) are dominant to brown eyes (c) and long bristles (d⁺) are dominant to short bristles (d). Your lab boss asks you to design an experiment to test the genetic linkage of eye color and bristle-length genes, and to begin by crossing a pure-breeding line homozygous for red eyes and short bristles to a pure-breeding line that has brown eyes and long bristles.


In your experimental design, what are the genotype and phenotype of the line you propose to cross to the F₁ to obtain the most useful information about genetic linkage between the eye color and bristle-length genes? Explain why you make this choice.

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Textbook Question

The boss in your laboratory has just heard of a proposal by another laboratory that genes for eye color and the length of body bristles may be linked in Drosophila. Your lab has numerous pure-breeding stocks of Drosophila that could be used to verify or refute genetic linkage. In Drosophila, red eyes (c⁺) are dominant to brown eyes (c) and long bristles (d⁺) are dominant to short bristles (d). Your lab boss asks you to design an experiment to test the genetic linkage of eye color and bristle-length genes, and to begin by crossing a pure-breeding line homozygous for red eyes and short bristles to a pure-breeding line that has brown eyes and long bristles.


Assume the eye color and bristle-length genes are separated by 28 m.u. What are the approximate frequencies of phenotypes expected from the cross you proposed in part (b)?

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Textbook Question

The boss in your laboratory has just heard of a proposal by another laboratory that genes for eye color and the length of body bristles may be linked in Drosophila. Your lab has numerous pure-breeding stocks of Drosophila that could be used to verify or refute genetic linkage. In Drosophila, red eyes (c⁺) are dominant to brown eyes (c) and long bristles (d⁺) are dominant to short bristles (d). Your lab boss asks you to design an experiment to test the genetic linkage of eye color and bristle-length genes, and to begin by crossing a pure-breeding line homozygous for red eyes and short bristles to a pure-breeding line that has brown eyes and long bristles.


How would the results of the cross differ if the genes are not linked?

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Textbook Question

In rabbits, chocolate-colored fur (w⁺) is dominant to white fur (w), straight fur (c⁺) is dominant to curly fur (c), and long ear (s⁺) is dominant to short ear (s). The cross of a trihybrid rabbit with straight, chocolate-colored fur and long ears to a rabbit that has white, curly fur and short ears produces the following results:

Calculate the recombination frequencies between each of the adjacent pairs of genes.

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Textbook Question

In rabbits, chocolate-colored fur (w⁺) is dominant to white fur (w), straight fur (c⁺) is dominant to curly fur (c), and long ear (s⁺) is dominant to short ear (s). The cross of a trihybrid rabbit with straight, chocolate-colored fur and long ears to a rabbit that has white, curly fur and short ears produces the following results:

Determine the interference value for this cross.

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Textbook Question

The following progeny are obtained from a test cross of a trihybrid wild-type plant to a plant with the recessive phenotypes compound leaves (c), intercalary leaflets (i), and green fruits (g). (Traits not listed are wild type.) The test-cross progeny are as follows:

Determine the order of the three genes, and construct a genetic map that identifies the correct order and the alleles carried on each chromosome in the trihybrid parental plant.

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