EXERCISE 4

PEABOTS: DEMONSTRATING MENDELIAN LAWS

I. INTRODUCTION

Heredity is the transmission of traits from parents to offsprings. These traits are
governed by genes which are physically located in chromosomes. Gregor Mendel postulated
three laws of inheritance: law of dominance, law of segregation and law of independent
assortment.
Peabots are creative models of the garden pea (Pisum sativum) studied by Mendel.
They have 14 chromosomes (7 pairs of homologous chromosomes).

II. OBJECTIVES

At the end of the exercise, the student should be able to:

1. Explain how characteristics are inherited.
2. Illustrate how meiosis cause variation in a sexually reproducing species

III. MATERIALS
Chromosome cards
2 styrofoam cylinders – 2 inches and 4 inches tall ( stem)
Yellow push pins (yellow seeds)
Green push pins (green seeds)
Cut-out purple flower from plastic folders
Cut-out white flower from plastic folders
Cut-out green inflated pods
Cut-out yellow inflated pods
Cut-out green constricted pods
Cut-out yellow constricted pods
Wire (petiole)
Cellophane tape/ Glue stick
 IV. PROCEDURE

1. Cut out the 14 chromosomes of the mom and dad peabots in the next page.
2. Arrange the chromosome cards face down. Keep the mom and dad chromosomes separate.
3. In each group of card, sort them into pairs of the same length.
4. Randomly take one chromosome of each paired chromosome from the mom chromosomes and
place them in the female gamete pile. Do the same for the dad chromosomes and place them
in the male gamete pile.
5. Carry out ‘fertilization” by mixing the female gamete and male gamete piles to form a “baby
gene” pile.
6. Sort out the chromosomes of your new individual into homologous pairs.
7. Write in the genotype grid the letters that you have obtained in your “baby genes”. For example.
If you have one card of letter A and another one with the letter a, put Aa in the box for position
of the flower.
8. When you have completed all the features in the grid, assemble your baby peabot models using
the materials.
9. Compare your baby peabot with the other groups.

Table 12. Genotype decoding key

CHARACTERISTIC ALL POSSIBLE GENOTYPES AND PHENOTYPES

Height TT = tall Tt = tall tt = short
Color of Flower PP = purple Pp = purple pp = white
Position of Flower AA = axial Aa =axial aa = terminal
Color of Seeds YY = yellow Yy = yellow yy = green
Shape of Seeds RR = round Rr = round rr = wrinkled
Color of Pods GG = green Gg = green gg = yellow
Shape of Pods II = inflated Ii = inflated Ii = constricted

V. RESULTS AND OBSERVATION. Answer completely the answer/data sheet.

REFERENCES:
Campbell, N.A., J.B. Reece, L.A. Urry, M.L. Cain, S.A. Wasserman,P.V. Minorsky & Jackson,
R.B. (2009). Biology. San Francisco, USA: Benjamin Cummings.
Hartl, D.L. & Jones, E.W. (2002). Essential Genetics-A genomics perspective. 3rd Edition.
Massachussets: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
King, R.C.,W.D. Stanfield, & Mulligan, P.K. (2006). A Dictionary of Genetics 7th Edition. . New
York: Oxford University Press.
Klugs, W.S, Cummings, M. R. & Spencer, C.A. (2006).Concepts of Genetics. 8th edition. USA:
Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Mom peabot chromosomes

T t
A a
P p
Y y
R r
G g
I i

Dad Chromosomes

T t
A a
P p
Y y
R r
G g
I i

Figure 16. Chromosomes of peabots

EXERCISE 4
 PEABOTS: DEMONSTRATING MENDELIAN LAWS

DATA SHEET

Name: Date: ____________ Rating: _________

Group No.:____ Lab. Schedule: _ Lab. Inst./Prof.

V. DATA/OBSERVATIONS:
Table 13. Genotype Grid

CHARACTERISTIC ALLELE FROM ALLELE FROM

PHENOTYPE
S MOM DAD

Height

Color of Flower

Position of Flower

Color of Seeds

Shape of Seeds

Color of Pods

Shape of Pods
_________________________________________________________________________
Figure 17. Drawing/Photograph of the baby peabots of all groups

VI. CONCLUSION

VII. QUESTIONS
1. Define Genetics. What are its applications?

2. Enumerate and briefly state the laws of Mendel.

3. Are all peabots the identical for all groups? Explain why.

4. How many baby peabots are identical to mom peabot? Dad peabot?