Activity 1: Mendelian Genetics

Fall 2015
Homework: Due at the beginning of activity section next week

Analyzing patterns of Mendelian inheritance

Read and carefully review pages 135-143 and 146-147 from the Pierce textbook.
Mike and Mary are planning a family. In addition to their love for each other and for
baseball, they have something else in common. They each have a history of cystic
fibrosis in their family. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease.
i. Mary does not have CF, none of her three sisters has CF, and her mother
didnt have it. But her father did.
ii. Mike does not have CF, and two of his three brothers dont either. But he
has one brother with CF. Neither of his parents have CF.
iii. Your challenge is to determine: What is the probability that Mike and
Mary's child would have CF?
a.

Draw the pedigree for Marys family, and the pedigree for Mikes.

b.
Twelve people are mentioned in this question (not including Mike and Mary's
child). Of the 12, whose genotypes are certain and whose are uncertain? Plot all known
genotypes on the pedigree.
c.
What is the probability that Mike and Mary's child would have CF? Show how
you arrived at this numerical result. (Hint: it might help to draw Punnett squares for both
Mary and Mikes families.)
Your analysis of CF inheritance should total no more than 2 pages, single-spaced, 12-point
font, with one-inch margins. Spelling and grammar will be considered when assigning grades, although not
as much as content.
1.

This written portion of this assignment must be typed, but figures may be handwritten.

2. Turn in a hard copy of this assignment to next week's activity section. This assignment does not need
to be uploaded in TurnItIn.
For full credit, the hard copy must be turned in by the beginning of next week's activity section.