In a cross of Lymnaea, the snail contributing the eggs was dextral but of unknown genotype. Both the genotype and the phenotype of the other snail are unknown. All F₁ offspring exhibited dextral coiling. Ten of the F₁ snails were allowed to undergo self-fertilization. One-half produced only dextrally coiled offspring, whereas the other half produced only sinistrally coiled offspring. What were the genotypes of the original parents?
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 10c
Textbook Question
In a cross between a black and a white guinea pig, all members of the F₁ generation are black. The F₂ generation is made up of approximately 3/4 black and 1/4 white guinea pigs. Two different matings were made between black members of the F₂ generation, with the following results. Diagram each of the crosses.
Cross Offspring
Cross 1 All black
Cross 2 3/4 black, 1/4 white

1
Determine the inheritance pattern: The problem indicates a 3:1 ratio in the F₂ generation, which suggests that the black coat color is dominant over the white coat color. This is consistent with Mendelian inheritance for a single gene with two alleles.
Assign symbols to the alleles: Let 'B' represent the dominant allele for black coat color and 'b' represent the recessive allele for white coat color. Black guinea pigs can have genotypes 'BB' (homozygous dominant) or 'Bb' (heterozygous), while white guinea pigs must have the genotype 'bb' (homozygous recessive).
Analyze Cross 1: The offspring of Cross 1 are all black. This suggests that both parents are homozygous dominant (BB) because a cross between two 'BB' individuals can only produce 'BB' offspring. Diagram the Punnett square for this cross to confirm.
Analyze Cross 2: The offspring of Cross 2 show a 3:1 ratio of black to white. This suggests that both parents are heterozygous (Bb). A cross between two 'Bb' individuals produces offspring in the genotypic ratio 1:2:1 (1 'BB', 2 'Bb', 1 'bb') and the phenotypic ratio 3:1 (3 black, 1 white). Diagram the Punnett square for this cross to confirm.
Summarize the results: Cross 1 involves two homozygous dominant (BB) parents, resulting in all black offspring. Cross 2 involves two heterozygous (Bb) parents, resulting in a 3:1 phenotypic ratio of black to white offspring. Use the Punnett squares to visually represent these crosses and their outcomes.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Mendelian Inheritance
Mendelian inheritance refers to the principles of heredity established by Gregor Mendel, which include the concepts of dominant and recessive traits. In this case, the black coat color in guinea pigs is dominant over the white coat color. This means that when a dominant allele is present, it will express the dominant phenotype, as seen in the F₁ generation where all offspring are black.
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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. It helps visualize the combinations of alleles from the parents. In this scenario, constructing Punnett squares for the F₂ generation can illustrate how the 3/4 black and 1/4 white ratio arises from the mating of two heterozygous black guinea pigs (Bb x Bb).
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Genotype and Phenotype
Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics. In the guinea pig example, the genotype of the black offspring could be either homozygous dominant (BB) or heterozygous (Bb), but the phenotype is black in both cases. Understanding this distinction is crucial for interpreting the results of the crosses.
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