In cattle, an autosomal mutation called Dexter produces calves with short stature and short limbs. Embryos that are homozygous for the Dexter mutation have severely stunted development and either spontaneously abort or are stillborn. What progeny phenotypes do you expect from the cross of two Dexter cows? What are the expected proportions of the expected phenotypes?
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance
Probability and Genetics
Problem 17a
Textbook Question
The coat color in mink is controlled by two codominant alleles at a single locus. Red coat color is produced by the genotype R₁R₁, silver coat by the genotype R₁R₂, and platinum color by R₂R₂. White spotting of the coat is a recessive trait found with the genotype ss. Solid coat color is found with the S– genotype.
What are the expected progeny phenotypes and proportions for the cross SsR₁R₂ x ssR₂R₂?

1
Step 1: Identify the genetic traits involved in the problem. The coat color is controlled by codominant alleles R₁ and R₂, where R₁R₁ produces red, R₁R₂ produces silver, and R₂R₂ produces platinum. Additionally, white spotting is a recessive trait controlled by the s allele, while solid coat color is dominant and controlled by the S allele.
Step 2: Determine the genotypes of the parents. The first parent has the genotype SsR₁R₂, meaning it is heterozygous for the spotting trait (S and s alleles) and heterozygous for coat color (R₁ and R₂ alleles). The second parent has the genotype ssR₂R₂, meaning it is homozygous recessive for the spotting trait (ss) and homozygous for platinum coat color (R₂R₂).
Step 3: Set up a Punnett square for the S and s alleles to determine the inheritance of the spotting trait. The first parent (Ss) can pass on either S or s, while the second parent (ss) can only pass on s. This results in two possible combinations: Ss (solid coat) and ss (white spotting).
Step 4: Set up a separate Punnett square for the R₁ and R₂ alleles to determine the inheritance of coat color. The first parent (R₁R₂) can pass on either R₁ or R₂, while the second parent (R₂R₂) can only pass on R₂. This results in two possible combinations: R₁R₂ (silver coat) and R₂R₂ (platinum coat).
Step 5: Combine the results from both Punnett squares to determine the expected progeny phenotypes and proportions. For each combination of spotting trait (Ss or ss) and coat color (R₁R₂ or R₂R₂), calculate the phenotypic ratios by multiplying the probabilities from each Punnett square. This will yield the proportions of progeny with solid silver, solid platinum, spotted silver, and spotted platinum coats.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Codominance
Codominance occurs when two different alleles at a locus are both expressed in the phenotype of a heterozygote. In the case of mink coat color, the alleles R₁ and R₂ are codominant, resulting in a distinct phenotype (silver coat) when both alleles are present. Understanding codominance is crucial for predicting the phenotypic outcomes of genetic crosses involving these alleles.
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Genotype and Phenotype
The genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while the phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics resulting from the genotype. In the given question, the genotypes (e.g., R₁R₁, R₁R₂, R₂R₂, ss) determine the phenotypes (e.g., red, silver, platinum, white spotting) of the mink. Analyzing the genotypes helps in predicting the expected phenotypes of the progeny.
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Punnett Square
A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross. By organizing the alleles of the parents (in this case, SsR₁R₂ and ssR₂R₂) in a grid format, one can easily visualize the potential combinations and calculate the expected proportions of each phenotype in the progeny. This tool is essential for solving genetic problems like the one presented.
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