Pigment in mouse fur is only produced when the C allele is present. Individuals of the cc genotype are white. If color is present, it may be determined by the A, a alleles. AA or Aa results in agouti color, while aa results in black coats. What F₁ and F₂ genotypic and phenotypic ratios are obtained from a cross between AACC and aacc mice?
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
Dihybrid Cross
Problem 17c
Textbook Question
In rats, the following genotypes of two independently assorting autosomal genes determine coat color:

A third gene pair on a separate autosome determines whether or not any color will be produced. The CC and Cc genotypes allow color according to the expression of the A and B alleles. However, the cc genotype results in albino rats regardless of the A and B alleles present. Determine the F₁ phenotypic ratio of the following crosses:
AaBbCc×AaBbcc

1
Step 1: Identify the genotypes and phenotypes involved in the problem. The three genes are: (1) Gene A, which determines coat color (A— for gray, aa for black); (2) Gene B, which modifies coat color (B— for gray or black, bb for yellow or cream); and (3) Gene C, which determines whether color is expressed (C— for color, cc for albino).
Step 2: Determine the possible gametes for each parent. For the first parent (AaBbCc), the possible gametes are formed by combining one allele from each gene: A or a, B or b, and C or c. This results in 8 possible gametes: ABC, ABc, AbC, Abc, aBC, aBc, abC, and abc. For the second parent (AaBbcc), the possible gametes are formed similarly, but since the C gene is homozygous recessive (cc), the gametes will always carry the c allele. This results in 4 possible gametes: ABc, Abc, aBc, and abc.
Step 3: Set up a Punnett square to determine the genotypes of the offspring. Since the first parent produces 8 types of gametes and the second parent produces 4 types of gametes, the Punnett square will have 8 rows and 4 columns. Fill in the squares by combining the alleles from the gametes of each parent.
Step 4: Analyze the offspring genotypes to determine their phenotypes. For each genotype, consider the following: (1) If the offspring has at least one C allele (C—), the coat color will depend on the A and B alleles. Use the given phenotypic rules (e.g., A—B— for gray, A—bb for yellow, aaB— for black, aabb for cream). (2) If the offspring is cc, it will be albino regardless of the A and B alleles.
Step 5: Count the number of offspring with each phenotype and calculate the phenotypic ratio. Group the offspring into categories based on their phenotypes (e.g., gray, yellow, black, cream, albino) and count how many fall into each category. Express the results as a ratio of phenotypes.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Independent Assortment
Independent assortment is a fundamental principle of genetics stating that alleles for different traits segregate independently of one another during gamete formation. This means that the inheritance of one trait (e.g., coat color) does not influence the inheritance of another trait (e.g., albinism). Understanding this concept is crucial for predicting the phenotypic ratios in genetic crosses involving multiple genes.
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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 both genetic and environmental factors. In the context of the question, the different combinations of alleles (genotypes) for the A, B, and C genes lead to distinct coat colors (phenotypes) in the rats, which must be analyzed to determine the F₁ phenotypic ratio.
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Epistasis
Epistasis occurs when the expression of one gene is affected by one or more other genes. In this case, the presence of the cc genotype masks the expression of the A and B alleles, resulting in an albino phenotype regardless of the coat color genes. Recognizing this interaction is essential for accurately calculating the phenotypic ratios in the given genetic crosses.
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