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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 5b

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.
Table showing phenotypes and their frequency percentages for tomato plant leaf traits.
Fully explain the number and frequency of each phenotype class.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the genetic basis of the problem: There are three loci involved in this problem. The first locus (A/a) determines leaf color, the second locus (H/h) determines leaf texture, and the third locus (C/c) determines leaf shape. The genes A/a and H/h are linked on chromosome 5, separated by 16 map units (m.u.), while the gene C/c is on a separate chromosome (chromosome 4) and thus independently assorting.
Determine the possible gametes for the linked genes (A/a and H/h): Since these genes are 16 m.u. apart, there is a 16% chance of recombination between them. This means that 84% of the gametes will be parental (AH and ah if the parent is heterozygous) and 16% will be recombinant (Ah and aH). Calculate the frequencies of each gamete type based on this information.
Determine the possible gametes for the independently assorting gene (C/c): Since this gene is on a different chromosome, it will assort independently. If the parent is heterozygous (C/c), the gametes will be produced in equal frequencies (50% C and 50% c). Combine these with the gametes from the linked genes to determine all possible gamete combinations.
Use a Punnett square or probability rules to determine the genotypes of the offspring: Cross the gametes from both parents to determine the genotypic combinations of the offspring. For the linked genes, account for the recombination frequencies, and for the independently assorting gene, use standard Mendelian ratios.
Determine the phenotypes and their frequencies: Translate the genotypes into phenotypes based on the dominance relationships (A = purple, a = green; H = hairy, h = hairless; C = cut-leaf, c = potato-shaped). Combine the probabilities from the linked genes and the independently assorting gene to calculate the overall frequency of each phenotype class.

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Key Concepts

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

Mendelian Genetics

Mendelian genetics is the study of how traits are inherited through generations based on the principles established by Gregor Mendel. It involves understanding dominant and recessive alleles, where dominant alleles mask the expression of recessive ones. This framework helps predict the phenotypic ratios of offspring based on parental genotypes, which is essential for analyzing the phenotypes of the tomato plants in the question.
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Descriptive Genetics

Linkage and Recombination

Linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together. The concept of recombination describes how chromosomes can exchange segments during meiosis, leading to new allele combinations. The mention of genes being separated by 16 m.u. indicates their distance on the chromosome, which affects the frequency of recombination and ultimately influences the phenotype ratios in the offspring.
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Chi Square and Linkage

Phenotypic Ratios

Phenotypic ratios represent the relative frequencies of different observable traits in the offspring resulting from genetic crosses. In this scenario, the phenotypes of the tomato plants are determined by the combinations of alleles for leaf color, texture, and shape. Understanding how to calculate these ratios based on the inheritance patterns and linkage of the alleles is crucial for fully explaining the number and frequency of each phenotype class.
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Related Practice
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

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?

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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 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.

570
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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.


Do you expect any of these gene pair(s) to assort independently? Explain your reasoning.

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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.


A wild-type female fruit fly with the genotype y⁺w⁺f/ywf⁺ is crossed to a male fruit fly that has yellow body, white eye, and forked bristles. Predict the frequency of each progeny phenotype class produced by this mating.

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