In what way does position effect variegation (PEV) of Drosophila eye color indicate that chromatin state can affect gene transcription?
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
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance
Epistasis and Complementation
Problem 19b
Textbook Question
Feather color in parakeets is produced by the blending of pigments from two biosynthetic pathways shown below. Four independently assorting genes (A, B, C, and D) produce enzymes that catalyze separate steps of the pathways. For the questions below, use an uppercase letter to indicate a dominant allele producing full enzymatic activity and a lowercase letter to indicate a recessive allele producing no functional enzyme. Feather colors produced by mixing pigments are green (yellow + blue) and purple (red + blue). Red, yellow, and blue feathers result from the production of one colored pigment, and white results from the absence of pigment production.

What is the genotype of a pure-breeding yellow strain of parakeet?

1
Analyze the biosynthetic pathways provided in the diagram. Pathway I involves the conversion of a colorless compound to red (Compound II) by Enzyme A, and then to yellow (Compound III) by Enzyme B. Pathway II involves the conversion of a colorless compound to blue (Compound Z) by Enzyme C and Enzyme B.
Understand that a pure-breeding yellow strain of parakeet must produce only yellow pigment. This means that Pathway I must be functional up to Compound III, while Pathway II must be non-functional to prevent the production of blue pigment.
Determine the genotype for Pathway I. For yellow pigment to be produced, Enzyme A and Enzyme B must be functional. This requires at least one dominant allele for both genes A and B, so the genotype for these genes must include at least one uppercase A and one uppercase B (e.g., A_B_).
Determine the genotype for Pathway II. To prevent the production of blue pigment, Enzyme C must be non-functional. This requires two recessive alleles for gene C (cc). Additionally, Enzyme B in Pathway II does not need to be considered separately, as it is already functional in Pathway I.
Combine the information from both pathways. The genotype of a pure-breeding yellow strain must include functional alleles for genes A and B (e.g., A_B_) and non-functional alleles for gene C (cc). Since the strain is pure-breeding, the genotype must be homozygous for all genes, resulting in AABBcc.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Genotype and Phenotype
The genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the alleles present for a given trait. In contrast, the phenotype is the observable expression of that genotype, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. For example, in parakeets, a pure-breeding yellow strain would have a specific genotype that results in the production of yellow feathers, demonstrating the relationship between genotype and phenotype.
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Dominant and Recessive Alleles
In genetics, alleles can be classified as dominant or recessive based on their effects on phenotype. A dominant allele, represented by an uppercase letter, can mask the effect of a recessive allele, denoted by a lowercase letter. In the context of parakeet feather color, the presence of dominant alleles for enzymes involved in pigment production will lead to the expression of specific colors, such as yellow, while recessive alleles may result in a lack of pigment.
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Biosynthetic Pathways
Biosynthetic pathways are series of chemical reactions in a cell that lead to the production of complex molecules from simpler ones. In the case of parakeet feather color, two distinct pathways produce different pigments through enzymatic reactions. Understanding these pathways is crucial for determining how specific genotypes lead to the production of colors like yellow and blue, as well as how these colors can blend to create other phenotypes.
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