Predict the results of a cross between ascospores from a segregational petite strain and a neutral petite strain. Indicate the phenotype of the zygote and the ascospores it may subsequently produce.
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
Monohybrid Cross
Problem 10
Textbook Question
In chickens, a condition referred to as 'creeper' exists whereby the bird has very short legs and wings and appears to be creeping when it walks. If creepers are bred to normal chickens, one-half of the offspring are normal and one-half are creepers. Creepers never breed true. If bred together, they yield two-thirds creepers and one-third normal. Propose an explanation for the inheritance of this condition.

1
Start by analyzing the inheritance pattern described in the problem. The fact that creepers never breed true and that breeding two creepers results in a 2:1 ratio of creepers to normal offspring suggests that this condition may involve a lethal allele.
Propose a genetic model: Assume that the 'creeper' condition is caused by a single gene with two alleles. Let 'C' represent the dominant allele for the creeper condition and 'c' represent the recessive allele for the normal condition. Hypothesize that the homozygous dominant genotype (C/C) is lethal, meaning individuals with this genotype do not survive.
Use the Punnett square to predict the offspring ratios when two creepers (C/c) are bred together. The possible genotypes are: C/C, C/c, and c/c. Since C/C is lethal, only the C/c (creeper) and c/c (normal) offspring will survive. This explains the observed 2:1 ratio of creepers to normal offspring.
Analyze the cross between a creeper (C/c) and a normal chicken (c/c). The Punnett square for this cross predicts a 1:1 ratio of C/c (creeper) to c/c (normal) offspring, which matches the observed results.
Conclude that the inheritance of the creeper condition is consistent with a single gene with a dominant allele (C) that is lethal in the homozygous state (C/C). This explains why creepers never breed true and why the observed offspring ratios occur in the described crosses.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Incomplete Dominance
Incomplete dominance occurs when the phenotype of heterozygotes is intermediate between the phenotypes of the two homozygotes. In the case of the 'creeper' condition in chickens, it suggests that the allele for short legs and wings does not completely dominate the normal allele, leading to a mix of normal and creeper offspring when bred with normal chickens.
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Lethal Alleles
Lethal alleles are alleles that can cause the death of an organism when present in a homozygous state. In this scenario, the creeper phenotype may be linked to a lethal allele that prevents creepers from breeding true, as the homozygous condition for the creeper trait could be lethal, resulting in a higher proportion of normal offspring when bred with normal chickens.
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Genotypic Ratios
Genotypic ratios describe the relative frequencies of different genotypes in the offspring of a genetic cross. The observed ratios of offspring in this case (1:1 when bred with normal chickens and 2:1 when bred with other creepers) indicate a specific inheritance pattern, suggesting that the creeper trait is influenced by a single gene with multiple alleles, leading to distinct ratios based on the parental genotypes.
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