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Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene
Freeman - Biological Science 7th Edition
Freeman7th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9783584863285Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 14, Problem 9

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?

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Identify the dominant and recessive alleles for each gene. Let's denote the dominant allele for blue pigment as B and its recessive allele as b. Similarly, denote the dominant allele for yellow pigment as Y and its recessive allele as y. The dominant alleles (B and Y) produce pigments, while the recessive alleles (b and y) do not produce pigments.
Understand the phenotype of the green parakeets. Since green is a mixture of blue and yellow, the green parakeets must have at least one dominant allele of each gene (B and Y). Therefore, the genotype of each green parakeet must include at least one B and one Y allele.
Determine the possible genotypes of the green parents that can produce green, blue, yellow, and albino offspring. The presence of all four phenotypes among the offspring suggests that each parent is heterozygous for both genes (BbYy). This allows for all combinations of alleles to occur among the progeny.
Use a Punnett square to predict the offspring's genotypes and phenotypes. Set up a 4x4 Punnett square with the genotypes BbYy for both parents. Fill in the square to find the genotypes of the offspring. For example, BBYY, BBYy, BbYY, BbYy will be green, BbYY, BbYy, bbYY, bbYy will be yellow, BBYy, BbYy, BByy, Bbyy will be blue, and bbyy will be albino.
Calculate the fraction of each phenotype among the progeny. From the Punnett square, count the number of each phenotype and divide by the total number of offspring (16). This will give you the fraction of green, blue, yellow, and albino offspring.

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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 context, understanding how dominant and recessive alleles interact is crucial for predicting the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from parental crosses.
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Mendelian and Population Genetics

Gene Interaction

Gene interaction refers to the way different genes influence each other's expression and the resulting phenotype. In this case, the interaction between gene B (blue pigment) and gene Y (yellow pigment) leads to the production of green when both pigments are present. Understanding how these genes work together helps in determining the possible genotypes of the parents and the phenotypic ratios of the offspring.
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Genes & Alleles

Punnett Squares

Punnett squares are a tool used in genetics to predict the probability of certain genotypes and phenotypes in offspring from a genetic cross. By mapping out the possible allele combinations from the parents, one can visualize the expected ratios of different traits. In this scenario, constructing Punnett squares for the green parakeets will help determine the genotypes of the parents and the expected color distribution in their offspring.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

In garden peas, yellow seeds (Y) are dominant to green seeds (y), and inflated pods (I) are dominant to constricted pods (i). Suppose you have crossed YYII parents with yyii parents. List the genotype(s) of gametes produced by F1 individuals.

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Textbook Question

In garden peas, yellow seeds (Y) are dominant to green seeds (y), and inflated pods (I) are dominant to constricted pods (i). Suppose you have crossed YYII parents with yyii parents. Draw the F2 Punnett square. Based on this Punnett square, predict the expected phenotype(s) in the F2 generation and the expected frequency of each phenotype.

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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?

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Textbook Question

The smooth feathers on the back of the neck in pigeons can be reversed by a mutation to produce a 'crested' appearance in which feathers form a distinctive spike at the back of the head. A pigeon breeder examined offspring produced by a single pair of non-crested birds and recorded the following: 22 non-crested and 7 crested. She then made a series of crosses using offspring from the first cross. When she crossed two of the crested birds, all 20 of the offspring were crested. When she crossed a non-crested bird with a crested bird, 7 offspring were non-crested and 6 were crested. For these three crosses, provide genotypes for parents and offspring that are consistent with these results.

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Textbook Question

The smooth feathers on the back of the neck in pigeons can be reversed by a mutation to produce a 'crested' appearance in which feathers form a distinctive spike at the back of the head. A pigeon breeder examined offspring produced by a single pair of non-crested birds and recorded the following: 22 non-crested and 7 crested. She then made a series of crosses using offspring from the first cross. When she crossed two of the crested birds, all 20 of the offspring were crested. When she crossed a non-crested bird with a crested bird, 7 offspring were non-crested and 6 were crested. Which allele is dominant?

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Textbook Question

As a genetic counselor, you advise couples about the possibility of genetic disease in their offspring. Today you met with an engaged couple, both of whom are phenotypically normal. The man, however, has a brother who died of Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy, an X-linked recessive condition. His fiancée, whose family has no history of the disease, is worried that the couple's sons or daughters might be afflicted. How would you advise this couple?

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