ACADEMIC BACKTRACKING

TOPIC:
Mendelian Genetics: Test Crosses

Objective:
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 find the offspring of a test cross using Punnett square.

TEXT
Predicting the Phenotypes and Genotypes of Offspring

You might ask how traits are inherited? But before we dive into our discussion let’s
introduce first the following terms:

 Mendelian factors are now called genes.

 Alleles are different versions of the same gene.
 An individual with two identical alleles is termed homozygous.
 An individual with two different alleles, is termed heterozygous.
 Genotype refers to the specific allelic composition of an individual.
 Phenotype refers to the outward appearance of an individual.
_

Traits that are passed on from parents to the next generation are under the
control of genes which are called factors by Mendel in his work entitled “Experiments on
Plant Hybrids” published on the year 1866. The genetic makeup of an organism is called
as genotype while the characteristics that can observed in an organism is called the
phenotype.

Alleles
 are alternative forms of traits, each trait carries two copies of a unit of
inheritance, one from the father and one from the mother.

Key to Mendel’s Experiments

The garden pea was an ideal organism for study because:

– Vigorous growth
– Self-fertilization

Cor Jesu College- Basic Education Department LEARNING MODULE IN SCIENCE 9 1

 – Easy to cross fertilize
– Produces large number of offspring each generation

Mendel analyzed traits with discrete alternative forms (one of two options)
– purple vs. white flowers
– yellow vs. green peas
– round vs. wrinkled seeds
– long vs. short stem length

Mendel established pure/true breeding lines to conduct his experiments.

– The traits remain constant from generation to

generation Terminology used in breeding experiments:

a. Parental generation is the P generation  True

breeding unless stated otherwise
b. Progeny of P generation is the first filial
generation, designated F1.
c. When F1 interbreed or are “selfed”, the second
filial generation, F2, is produced. F2 is always F1 x
F1
d. Subsequent interbreeding produces F3, F4, and
F5 generations.

A monohybrid cross involves true-breeding strains

that differ in a single trait. To determine whether both
parents contribute equally to the phenotype of a particular
trait in offspring a set of reciprocal crosses is performed.

In Mendelian genetics, offspring of a monohybrid

cross will exactly resemble only one of the parents. This
is the principle of uniformity in F1. Complete dominance.

Mendel noted that, traits that disappear in the F1

reappear in the F2. The F2 has a ratio of about three
individuals with the phenotype of the F1 to one individual
with the “reappearing” phenotype, 3:1 ratio. Mendel
reasoned that the information to create the trait was present in the F1 in the form of
“factors” now called as genes.
Figure 1. Monohybrid Cross
Source: Pearson Education, Inc.
 By convention, letters may be used to
designate alleles, with the dominant a capital
letter (S) and the recessive in lowercase (s).
Individuals with identical alleles are said to be
homozygous for that gene (e.g., genotypes
SS and ss) because all their gametes will
have the same allele for this trait.

Individuals with different alleles are

heterozygous (e.g., Ss) because 1/2 of their
gametes will contain one allele, and 1/2 the
other.

When Mendel had conducted his Figure 2. Homozygous and Heterozygous Alleles
experiments for seven different traits of garden Source: Pearson Education, Inc.
pea plants, he made these conclusions:

1. The result of reciprocal crosses is always the same.

2. The F1 or filial first generation resembled only one of the parent’s trait.
3. The trait missing in the F1 reappeared in about ¼ of the F2 individuals.

Punnett Squares
A Punnett square is a grid that enables one to predict the outcome of simple
genetic crosses. It is proposed by the English geneticist, Reginald Punnett.

Steps how to use the Punnett Square:

1. Write down the genotypes of both parents. Example: Trait:

height Male parent = Tt
Female parent = Tt

2. Write down the possible gametes each parent can make. Dominant (T), recessive (t)
Male gametes: T or t
Female gametes: T or t

3. Create an empty Punnett Square

Male reproductive cells

Female reproductive cells
 4. Fill in the Punnett square with the possible genotypes of the offspring.

T t

T TT Tt

t Tt tt

5. Determine the relative proportions of genotypes and phenotypes of the

offspring Genotypic ratio: 1 TT, 2 Tt and 1 tt = 25%: 50%: 25% or

1:2:1 Phenotypic ratio: 3 tall plants, 1 short plant = 75%:25% or 3:1

Sample Test Cross

1. Using the Punnett square, find the possible offspring if you cross pea plant with
homozygous violet flower pea to homozygous white flower pea.

Violet flower – VV, Vv

White flower – vv

The offspring will allVhave the genotype

V Vv and their phenotypes are all violet
flower.

v Vv Vv 4 – Vv
4 – Violet flower pea plant
v Vv Vv
Answer this practice test on your own.
2. Cross a heterozygous violet flower pea to a homozygous violet flower pea.
Name: _ Grade/Section:
Teacher: Ms. Rubie May S. Maurillo Week: 1

Activity Sheet 1

Test A. Multiple Choice: Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided.

_1. If Mendel had a homozygous tall plant, what would be the genotype of
thid individual?
a. tall c. TT
b. short d. Tt
_2. If Mendel had a homozygote recessive plant for height, what would
the phenotype of this individual look like?
a. tall c. TT
b. short d. Tt
_3. What is the gametes for homozygous recessive of plant height?
a. All TT c. Tt
b. All tt d. tT
_4. Assume that in guinea pigs, dark brown fur (B) is dominant to black fur (b). If
you mate a black guinea pig with a homozygous brown guinea pig, what proportion of
the progeny will be homozygous?
a. 100% c. 25%
b. 50% d. none
_5. How will you differentiate phenotype from genotype?
a. Phenotype is the observation trait while genotype is the genetic makeup of
an organism.
b. Genotype is the observation trait while phenotype is the genetic makeup of
an organism.
c. Phenotype is the observation alleles while genotype is the genetic makeup
of an organism
d. Genotype is the observation alleles while phenotype is the genetic makeup
of an organism.

Test B. Make a Punnett square for the sample cross below.

1. Cross a heterozygous round seed pea (Rr) to a homozygous wrinkled seed pea.
 TOPIC:
Mendelian Genetics: Monohybrid Cross

Objective:

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 predict phenotypic and genotypic expressions of traits following simple

patterns of inheritance.

TEXT
Monohybrid Cross

1. In a garden pea plants, the tall height of pea plant (TT) is dominant over short pea
plant (pp). A farmer cross-pollinated a heterozygous tall pea plant to a homozygous
tall pea plant. Show the cross on a Punnett square.

a. What would be the genotypic and phenotypic ratio of the offspring of this cross?
b. How many of the probable offspring will be tall or short?

Solution:

Test cross using Punnett Square

T t

T TT Tt

T TT Tt

a. Genotypic ratio – 2 TT, 2Tt = 2:2

Phenotypic ratio – 4 tall plants – 4:0

b. All plants will have tall heights.

Name: _ Grade/Section:
Teacher: Ms. Rubie May S. Maurillo Week: 2

Activity Sheet 2

Test A. Find the phenotypic and genotypic ratio of the following test crosses.

1. Mr. John wants to achieve an all-round seed pea in his garden. Help him by
showing the possible test crosses of the gametes below then write your
recommendation what should he cross through an email.

Round seed (RR, Rr) wrinkled seed (rr)

a. Heterozygous round seed x homozygous wrinkled seed

b. Homozygous round seed x homozygous wrinkled seed

a. Punnett Square b. Punnett Square

Phenotypes: Phenotypic ratio: Phenotypes: Phenotypic ratio:

Genotypes: Genotypic ratio: Genotypes: Genotypic ratio:

Letter of Recommendation to Mr. John

 TOPIC:
Mendelian Genetics: Dihybrid Cross
Objective:

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 predict phenotypic and genotypic expressions of traits following simple

patterns of inheritance.

TEXT
Dihybrid Cross

Sample Problem 1

1. In garden pea plants, tall plants (TT) are dominant over short plants (tt). Inflated pea
pod (CC) is dominant over constricted pod (cc).

a. What will be the genotypic and phenotypic ratio of the offspring if a heterozygous
inflated pea pod (Cc) and homozygous tall pea plant (TT) is pollinated to a
homozygous constricted (cc) and heterozygous tall pea plant (Tt)? Show your
cross using a Punnett square.

 First thing to do is you have to cross all the possible allele of the parents. (Do the foil
method).

male gametes TTCc x Ttcc female gametes

 Always write first the letter of the dominant trait.
 Assign the alleles on your dihybrid Punnett square.

TC Tc TC Tc
Tc TTCc TTcc TTCc TTcc
Tc TTCc TTcc TTCc TTcc
tc TtCc Ttcc TtCc Ttcc
tc TtCc Ttcc TtCc Ttcc
 List down the genotypes and phenotypes

Genotypes Phenotypes
TTCc = 4 tall and inflated pea pod = 8
TTcc = 4 tall and constricted pea pod = 8
TtCc = 4
Ttcc = 4

Solution:

a. Genotypic ratio: 4 TTCc , 4 TTcc, 4 TtCc, 4 Ttcc = 4:4:4:4

Phenotypic ratio: 8 tall and inflated pea pod, 8 tall and constricted pea pod = 8:8

Sample Problem 2

Cross the two traits of the pea plant below.

Homozygous round seed (RR) and heterozygous purple flower pea (Pp) to
heterozygous round seed (Rr) and homozygous white flower pea (ww).
Name: _ Grade/Section:
Teacher: Ms. Rubie May S. Maurillo Week: 3

Activity Sheet 3

Test A. Find the phenotypic and genotypic ratio of the test crosses below. Use the
space below for your answers.

1. Using dihybrid cross, find the offspring of a homozygous tall pea plant with
heterozygous violet flower cross to a heterozygous tall pea plant with white
flower.

a. Find the genotypes and phenotypes of the cross.

b. Determine the phenotypic and genotypic ratios of the offspring.