CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

GENETICS
PROBLEM
SOLVING
Fall 2018

X =
Introduction
Genetics is the study of inheritance. Gregor Mendel was a scientist who developed rules for predicting
heredity patterns in eukaryotic organisms. Mendel did not know that the “particles of inheritance” were DNA. He
did not know how DNA copies itself and divides separates those copies to make new cells. Yet, through his
breeding experiments in a monastery garden and careful mathematical analysis, Mendel published the basics of
modern genetics in 1866.

Mendel postulated that each individual inherits one set of genetic instructions (genes) in the egg and a
homologous (matching) set of genes in the sperm. When egg and sperm unite in syngamy, the fertilized egg
(zygote) has two complete sets of the genetic material that defines its species. Each individual is diploid,
having two copies of each gene. Eggs and sperm are haploid, carrying only one copy of each gene.

A person may inherit identical copies of a trait and be described as pure breeding or homozygous.
When a person inherits two different versions (alleles) of a gene, this is described as hybrid or heterozygous.
The genes you inherit are your genotype. How you look because of those genes is your phenotype. Some
alleles show up in your phenotype even if you carry only one copy; these are dominant. Some alleles are
expressed only when two copies are present; these alleles are recessive. Some alleles exhibit incomplete
dominance, where traits blend in the phenotype. Alleles may be co-dominant, where both traits appear in the
phenotype without blending.

Mendel pictured genes as discrete units, each separate from the other. We now know that
chromosomes carry hundreds or thousands of genes. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes to organize an
estimated 20 thousand genes. Body cells copy DNA and divide to create genetically identical cells through a
process called mitosis. To make eggs or sperm (gametes), cells use meiosis, which separates homologous
chromosomes, creating haploid daughter cells out of a diploid parent cell. Sometimes the separation processes
do not work perfectly, and one gamete can end up with an extra chromosome and another is missing that same
chromosome. If a defective gamete achieves syngamy with a normal gamete, a zygote can have a trisomy
(triploid condition) or monosomy (haploid condition). In humans, such an event is usually lethal to the embryo.
In a few cases, survival is possible, with a wide range of symptoms that depend on which chromosome is triploid
or haploid.

Most traits are autosomal, which means the genes on chromosomes 1 through 22. Chromosome 23 is
the sex chromosome. In humans, a person with two X-chromosomes is genetically female. A person with an X-
chromosome and a Y-chromosome is genetically male. X-linked traits are on the X chromosome. Because the
Y chromosome is much smaller than the X chromosome, homologous pairing for genes may be impossible.
Instead of being homozygous or heterozygous, an XY individual can be hemizygous.

Inheritance problem solving follows some conventional rules. A capital letter symbol, such as “A”
symbolizes a dominant trait. Recessive traits are given a matching lower-case symbol, such as “a”. In some
cases, a symbol for the gene carries superscript letters indicating allele versions, as in blood types which may be
IA, IB, or io.

A Punnett Square organizes the possible mixing and matching of the alleles in a mating cross and the
production of offspring.

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 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Methods:
Genetics problem solving. All of the worksheets are individual. There is no team worksheet. You can work with
a classmate or group of classmates, but be sure you are do the work and understanding the work, not just
copying. You will need to be able to problem solve very similar questions on a midterm exam.

For each problem, fill in all the requested information. Support your work by illustrating the crosses
with one or more Punnett squares, in all cases except item “J, polygenic” which requires a different
type of problem solving.

1. In Superman & His Family, you will carry through a very simple genetic problem sequence,
making sure you familiarize yourself or refresh your memory on the genetic terminology used in
making and testing predictions in genetic inheritance.

2. In Simple Puzzles, you have a variety of dominant/recessive genetics problems.

3. In Twists & Turns, we add co-dominance, incomplete dominance, and multiple alleles.

4. In Complexities, dihybrid and sex-influenced, and sex-linked inheritance are the focus.

For Fall 2018, you can come to either the Monday or Wednesday lab meeting to work in a group and/or get
assistance from your lab professor. In addition, you can treat this assignment as homework and skip coming to
lab entirely, if you feel comfortable and confident about your grasp of the material.

Results:
Turn in your worksheets to the instructor by the published due date of Monday 10/08/2018.

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 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Superman Student name: ______________________________ Sec:___

25
Simple
25
Twists
25
Complex
25 100

MENDELIAN GENETICS
Please include this cover sheet with your other worksheets, stapled together in sequence.

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 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK
Student Name________________________________ Sec___
SUPERMAN & HIS FAMILY (25 points) Individual
Superman is a super hero. He has muscles-of-
steel. Genetically, muscles-of-steel is an
autosomal dominant trait.
Symbolize the muscles-of-steel allele
with a capital letter chosen to identify
the gene for muscles.
Superman is homozygous for muscles-of
steel. Both of his parents were super beings.
Superman carries two copies of the allele for
muscles-of-steel: one copy from each
parent. What is Superman’s genotype?
Related to the muscle gene, what allele(s)
will be carried in Superman’s gametes?
Construct a Punnett Square that illustrates the possible
outcomes of syngamy between Superman’s gametes and
Lois Lane’s gametes related to the muscles gene and its
alleles.
Let’s assume that Superboy falls in love with a human girl
from his hometown of Smallville. Construct a Punnett
Square that illustrates the possible outcomes of syngamy
between Superboy’s gametes and the gametes of his human
wife.
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MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING
Lois Lane is human with normal
human muscles, recessive to
muscles-of-steel.
Symbolize the allele for normal human
muscles with a lower-case version
letter chosen to represent the gene for
muscles.
Relative to muscle type, what is Lois
Lane’s genotype?
Related to the muscle gene, what
allele(s) will be carried in Lois Lane’s
_____
gametes?
Superman and Lois Lane create a baby
together. The child is called Superboy.
What is Superboy’s genotype?
_________________________________
Is Superboy homozygous or heterozygous?
_________________________________
What is Superboy’s phenotype?
_________________________________
What allele(s) will
Superboy’s gametes _______________
carry?
What is the likelihood of a baby of Superboy
and his human wife inheriting muscles-of-
steel? _____________
What is the likelihood of a baby of Superboy
and his human wife being homozygous for
muscles-of-steel? ____________
Is a gamete haploid or diploid? __________
Is a zygote haploid or diploid? ____________
Are you haploid or diploid? _______________
 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Name:_______________________________ Sec:__

MENDEL – Simple Puzzles (25 points) Individual

Migraine headaches are due to an autosomal dominant
A. trait (H), while luckier individuals have the recessive
non-migraine allele (h). Sheila and Tony both suffer
from migraines. Sheila and Tony both have one parent
who is a migraine sufferer and one who has never had
migraines. What is the likelihood of Sheila and Tony
having a child that does not suffer from migraine
headaches?
a. 100%
Dominant b. 75% Sheila’s genotype _____
Recessive c. 50% Tony’s genotype _____
d. 25%
No-migraine genotype ____
e. 0%

In seals, blond fur arises from an autosomal recessive

B.
allele (b) and brown fur from a dominant allele (B). At a
zoo, a brown female seal is mated with a blond male
seal. A blond pup is born. How likely is a brown pup in
the next mating cycle?

a. 100%
b. 75% Mom’s genotype _____
c. 50%
d. 25%
Dad’s genotype _____
Dominant
Recessive e. 0%

In fire-breathing dragons, having two-heads is an

C. autosomal dominant trait (E); three-headedness is
recessive (e). If you cross a heterozygous two-headed
dragon with a three-headed dragon, what percentage
of offspring is likely to have three heads?

a. 100% Heterozygous
Dominant b. 75% genotype _______
Recessive c. 50%
d. 25% Heterozygous
e. 0% phenotype _______

Albinos are individuals that cannot synthesize melanin,

D. the pigment responsible for most skin color. The albino
pigment gene is an autosomal recessive allele (m). If
two albino rabbits are mated, how often is it expected
that their offspring will revert to a brown-pigmented (M)
phenotype?

a. 100% Albino genotype _____

Dominant b. 75%
Recessive c. 50% Genotype homozygous
d. 25% for melanin _____
e. 0%

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 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Name:______________________________ Sec___
MENDEL – Twists & Turns (25 points) Individual
E. When a white stallion (CW) breeds with a red mare (CR), the
offspring will be a palomino, i.e. having a distinctive golden
coat with blond mane and tail. If two palomino horses breed
together repeatedly, what proportion of their offspring would
be expected to be palomino?

a. 100%
Co-Dominance b. 75% Red stallion genotype _____
c. 50% White mare genotype _____
d. 25% Roan foal genotype _____
e. 0%

Radishes come in red, purple, or white. When a flower of a

F. white radish (CW) is fertilized with the pollen of a red radish
(CR), the resulting seeds grow purple radishes.

What proportion of the offspring will be white, if a purple

radish is crossed with another purple radish?
a. 100%
b. 75% Red radish genotype _____
c. 50% White radish genotype _____
Incomplete d. 25% Purple radish genotype _____
Dominance e. 0%

G. In the Xolo (Mexican hairless), hairless dogs have one copy

of the autosomal dominant hairless allele (H). Homozygous
recessive dogs have normal fur coats. Homozygous
dominant zygotes fail early in embryology. If you wanted to
breed Xolos without losing any pups to miscarriage, which
breeding combination would be best?

Lethal allele a. HH x HH Xolo genotype _____

b. HH x Hh Furred genotype _____
c. HH x hh Dead genotype _____
d. Hh x Hh
e. Hh x hh
f. hh x hh

H.
Barbara (blood type AB) claims that Jack (blood type O) is
the father of her child, Shana (blood type A). Jack claims
that based on blood type, it is impossible for him to be the
father. You be the judge – what is true?

a. Jack is not the Jack's genotype ______

Multiple alleles father. Barb's genotype ______
A – dominant b. Jack could be Shane's genotype _____
B – dominant the father.
O – recessive c. Jack is the
father.

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 CHC BIOL 100, HOMEWORK MENDELIAN GENETICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Name:____________________________ Sec___
MENDEL – COMPLEXITIES (25 points) Individual
I. Another immunologically-important issue in blood type is
Rh factor. The Rh alleles are "positive" and "negative",
which can be written as symbols or notation following the
ABO blood type designation. The Rh gene is a
completely separate gene from the ABO gene. If Jack is
O-neg, Barbara is AB-pos, and the baby Shana is A-pos,
what is now true about the paternity case?

a. Jack is not the Jack's dihybrid genotype

father. ___________________
b. Jack could be Barb's dihybrid genotype
Dihybrid the father. ___________________
Rh-pos is dom. c. Jack is the Shane's dihybrid genotype
Rh-neg is rec. father. ___________________

J. Gout is a type of arthritis that is arises in genetically

susceptible individuals, usually later in life. If you are
Sex-influenced homozygous for the gout allele (AG), you will probably get
gout, unless you are very careful about your diet. If you
are homozygous for the non-gout allele (AN), you will
probably never get gout, even with bad lifestyle choices. .
In heterozygous individuals, male hormones trigger a
dominant response while female hormones trigger a
recessive reaction.
Amber and Allen Archer are fraternal twins attending
college at CHC. Their mother has suffered bouts of gout.
Their dad has never experienced gout, even though he’s
much older than his wife. What are the odds that Amber
and Allen will have gout as they age?

a. Gout – Amber Mrs. Archer’s genotype:

b. Gout – Allen ___________________
c. Gout – both Mr. Archer’s genotype:
d. No gout either ___________________
Amber and Allen’s
genotype:
___________________

K. A recessive X-linked gene interferes with blood clotting in

the disease, hemophilia (Xd). Rosa and Stefan’s newborn
son Alan has been diagnosed with genetic hemophilia.
Rosa and Stefan are not hemophiliacs and don’t know of
any hemophiliacs in their family. Which parent did the
child Alan inherit the allele from? If Rosa and Stefan have
another child, what is the risk of that child suffering from
Sex-linked hemophilia?
The source:
Must use X and Y a. Rosa Rosa's X-linked genotype
chromosomes. b. Stefan ___________________
Remember that in The future:
X-linked a. 100% of all kids Stefan's X-linked genotype
inheritance, there is b. 100% of boys only ___________________
no matching trait c. 50% of boys only
on the Y. Alan's X-linked genotype
d. 100% of girls only ___________________
e. 50% of girls only