Two pea plants heterozygous for the characters of pod color and pod shape are crossed. Draw a Punnett square to determine the phenotypic ratios of the offspring.
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13. Mendelian Genetics
Dihybrid Crosses
Problem 9
Textbook Question
In parakeets, two autosomal genes that are located on different chromosomes control the production of feather pigment. Gene B codes for an enzyme that is required for the synthesis of a blue pigment, and gene Y codes for an enzyme required for the synthesis of a yellow pigment. Green results from a mixture of yellow and blue pigments, and recessive mutations that prevent production of either pigment are known for both genes. Suppose that a breeder has two green parakeets and mates them. The offspring are green, blue, yellow, and albino (unpigmented).
Based on this observation, what are the genotypes of the green parents?
What genotypes produce each color in the offspring? What fraction of the progeny should exhibit each type of color?

1
Step 1: Understand the genetic basis of feather pigmentation in parakeets. Gene B is responsible for blue pigment production, and gene Y is responsible for yellow pigment production. Green feathers result from the combination of blue and yellow pigments. Recessive mutations in either gene (b or y) prevent pigment production, leading to albino feathers if both genes are recessive.
Step 2: Analyze the parental genotypes based on the offspring phenotypes. Since the offspring include green, blue, yellow, and albino parakeets, the parents must be heterozygous for both genes (BbYy). This allows for the segregation of alleles to produce all possible combinations in the offspring.
Step 3: Determine the genotypes responsible for each feather color in the offspring. Green parakeets have at least one dominant allele for both genes (B_Y_). Blue parakeets have at least one dominant allele for gene B but are homozygous recessive for gene Y (B_yy). Yellow parakeets have at least one dominant allele for gene Y but are homozygous recessive for gene B (bbY_). Albino parakeets are homozygous recessive for both genes (bbyy).
Step 4: Use a Punnett square to predict the offspring genotypes and phenotypes. Cross BbYy x BbYy to determine all possible combinations of alleles. Each parent contributes one allele for each gene, resulting in a 4x4 Punnett square with 16 possible combinations.
Step 5: Calculate the expected fraction of progeny for each phenotype. Based on the Punnett square, green parakeets (B_Y_) should appear in 9/16 of the offspring, blue parakeets (B_yy) in 3/16, yellow parakeets (bbY_) in 3/16, and albino parakeets (bbyy) in 1/16.

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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 the actions of alleles, which are different forms of a gene. It is based on Gregor Mendel's principles, including the law of segregation and the law of independent assortment. In this case, the inheritance of feather pigment in parakeets follows these principles, as the traits are determined by two separate genes located on different chromosomes.
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Mendelian and Population Genetics
Genotype and Phenotype
The genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while the phenotype is the observable expression of that genotype, influenced by environmental factors. In the context of the parakeets, the green phenotype results from a combination of alleles from the genes controlling pigment production. Understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotype is crucial for predicting the colors of the offspring based on the parents' genotypes.
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Guided course
Genotype & Phenotype
Punnett Square
A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross. It allows for the visualization of how alleles from each parent combine during fertilization. By setting up a Punnett square for the green parakeets, one can determine the possible genotypes of the offspring and calculate the expected ratios of each color phenotype based on the parental genotypes.
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Punnett Squares
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