UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

(UiTM)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE EDUCATION (HONS.) BIOLOGY

BIO 511: GENETICS

BIO 511: GENETICS

LAB REPORT

LAB 3: DIHYBRID CROSS

NAME:

1. NARDIRAH BINTI MAHMOOD (2013774147)

2. NUR ATIQAH BINTI AKHYANI (2013987491)
3. SITI BAZILAH BINTI BILAK (2013945767)
4. SITI SARAH BINTI ROZALI (2013350565)
5. TUAN AIFA FATINI BINTI TUAN PUTRA (2013928101)

GROUP : ED2476A

DATE : 20TH OCTOBER 2016

PREPARED FOR : MADAM LYENA WATTY ZURAINE AHMAD

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INTRODUCTION

A cross between two organisms where two genes are studied is called a dihybrid cross. It
is a cross between two different varieties and strains that dissimilar in two observed traits. In the
word of dihybrid cross, ‘di’ means that there is involvement of two different traits and the word
‘hybrid’ means each traits that involved has two different alleles. In 1865, George Mendel had
carried out an experiment by performed a dihybrid crosses on pea plant. He found an important
law of genetics which he called the Law of Independent Assortment.

He began his experiments by first crossing two homozygous parental organisms that
differed with respect to two traits. An organism that is homozygous for a specific trait carries
two identical alleles at a particular genetic locus.  In the Mendelian sense, between the alleles of
both these loci there is a relationship of complete dominance - recessive. This cross usually will
be visualising by using Punnet square of dimensions 4 x 4.

In Mendel’s experiment he chose to cross a pea plant that was homozygous and
dominant for round (RR), yellow (YY) seeds with a pea plant that was homozygous and
recessive for wrinkled (rr), green (yy) seeds. The result from his dihybrid cross, he observed that
the F2 progeny had a 9:3:3:1 ratio and produced nine plants with round, yellow seeds, three
plants with round, green seeds, three plants with wrinkled, yellow seeds and one plant with
wrinkled, green seeds.

Therefore, this forms the basis of Mendel’s second law which is the Law of Independent
Assortment which states that; ‘Any one of a pair of characteristics may combine with either one
of another pair’ or in modern term ‘alleles of one gene can segregate independently of alleles of
other genes’.

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OBJECTIVE

1. To investigate the dihybrid inheritance patterns by observing and identifying the distinct
phenotypic traits on the F2 generation genetic corns.
2. To explore the principle of dominance, segregation and independent assortment of allele
in determining traits in organism by observing and analyzing data collected from the F2
generation genetic corns.
3. To investigate the dihybrid inheritance patterns on the F2 generation genetic corns by
comparing the actual data to the expected ratio from punnett square/cross mapping.
4. To investigate the possible genotypic ratio based on the segregation and assortment of
alleles that produce the distinguished phenotypic characteristics on the genetic corns.

MATERIAL

1. Genetic corns
2. Pin and needles

FLOW OF PROCEDURE

1. For this experiment, each group were given about 3 to 4 ears of genetic corns which these
corns have two different traits – aleurone color and texture of the kernel. The genetic
corns used in this experiment were the F2 generation crossed between parents that were
homozygous dominant for both aleurone color and sugary genes (RRSS); and
homozygous recessive for both the aleurone color and sugary genes (rrss).

2. Students were to observe the different traits characterized on the kernels of the corns. The
characteristics are based on the aleurone color and the texture of the kernel. First, the
texture of the kernels were observed and distinguished based on the traits; dominant traits
produced a smooth kernel (S) due to production of starch while the recessive trait
produced wrinkled kernel (s) due to production of sugar. Meanwhile, for the aleurone

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 color, two distinct colors were observed that is the purple color as the dominant trait
denoted as (R) and yellow color as the recessive trait denoted as (r).
3. Using pin and needle as marker, each kernel of different traits – purple and smooth,
purple and wrinkled, yellow and smooth, and yellow and wrinkled; were observed and
counted respectively for each ears of corns given to each group.

4. For each ear of corns observed, the data were recorded and tabulated into the table
following their respective phenotypes – purple & smooth, purple & wrinkled, yellow &
smooth, yellow & wrinkled. From the data tabulated, the phenotypic ratio of each ear of
corns for each group was determined. The phenotypic ratio was then compared to the
expected phenotypic ratio for the genetic corn inheritance pattern.

5. The F2 generation of the genetic corns used in this experiment was expected to have the
phenotypic ratio of 9(purple & smooth): 3(purple & wrinkled): 3(yellow & smooth):
1(yellow & wrinkled). This inheritance pattern can be shown through the punnett square
of the parents of the F2 generation :

RS Rs rS rs
RRSS RRSs RrSS RrSs
RS
(purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (purple&smooth)
RRSs RRss RrSs Rrss
Rs
(purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled) (purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled)
RrSS RrSs rrSS rrSs
rS
(purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (yellow&smooth) (yellow&smooth)
RrSs Rrss rrSs Rrss
rs
(purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled) (yellow&smooth) (yellow&wrinkled)

6. The data from each group were gathered, compared and tabulated as overall result to be
compared with the expected phenotypic ratio of the inheritance pattern.

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RESULTS

Corn 1
Purple & Purple & Yellow & Yellow & Total
Phenotypes
smooth wrinkle smooth wrinkle
Observed 387 114 111 48 660
number of
individuals
Expected 9 3 3 1 16
phenotypic ratio
Expected number 8.06 2.38 2.31 1 13.75
of individuals

Corn 2
Purple & Purple & Yellow & Yellow & Total
Phenotypes
smooth wrinkle smooth wrinkle
Observed 308 88 127 36 559
number of
individuals
Expected 9 3 3 1 16
phenotypic ratio
Expected number 8.6 2.44 3.53 1 15.57
of individuals

Corn 3
Purple & Purple & Yellow & Yellow & Total
Phenotypes
smooth wrinkle smooth wrinkle
Observed 289 98 89 34 510
number of
individuals
Expected 9 3 3 1 16
phenotypic ratio
Expected number 8.50 2.88 2.62 1 15.00
of individuals

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Total group:
PHENOTYPES
EAR Purple & Smooth Purple & Yellow & Yellow &
Wrinkled Smooth Wrinkled
Group 1 889 271 274 94
Group 2 1091 373 362 121
Group 3 984 300 327 118
Group 4 955 336 325 102
Group 5 981 353 363 114
TOTAL 4900 1633 1651 549

Phenotypic ratio:
Purple & Smooth __8.93__ : Purple & Wrinkled__2.97__ : Yellow & Smooth
__3.01__ :Yellow & Wrinkled __1__

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POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. What is the phenotype for these genotypes:

RrSs = purple smooth

rrSS = yellow smooth

rrss = yellow wrinkled

RRss = purple wrinkled

2. What is the expected genotype and phenotype of the offspring for this cross : RrSS x rrSs

Genotype RrSS x rrSs

Gametes
R r S S r r S s

F1 RS rS rS rS rs rS rs
RS

F2 Generation ;

Punnet square

RS RS rS rS
rS RrSS RrSS rrSS rrSS
rS RrSS RrSS rrSS rrSS
rs RrSs RrSs rrSs rrSs
rs RrSs RrSs rrSs rrSs

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DISCUSSION

In this experiment, we discussed about the dihybrid cross. Dihybrid is defined as an

individual heterozygous for two pairs of alleles while dihybrid cross involves a study of
inheritance patterns for organisms differing in two traits as described by Gregor Mendel.
Mendelian inheritance is inheritance of biological features that follows the laws proposed by
Gregor Johann Mendel in 1865. All possible combinations of the four alleles from each parent
were considered. We examined the dihybrid cross involving both color and texture in which we
have corn kernel that have purple and yellow in color. The difference on the kernel’s texture
characteristics are because of the gene controlling storage within the endosperm where it is
protective layer that surrounds the embryo in seed plants. This trait is due to a single trait caused
by the production of starch or sugar. If starch appears full, give smooth and rounded texture
kernel. However, if it is sugar it will look wrinkly. Starch is dominant and it is designated as S
while wrinkled is recessive and is designated as s. From the appearance of the corn, we found
that the purple color (R), is dominant to yellow (r), and smooth texture (S) is dominant to
wrinkled (s). R (purple) and S (smooth) are dominant alleles, and r (yellow) and s (wrinkled) are
recessive. Both parent plants are heterozygous for both traits. The heterozygous parents had the
genotype RrSs and phenotype purple smooth kernels.

In the principle of genetic inheritance, traits are passed from one generation to another.
Mendel's studies yielded three laws of inheritance which are the law of dominance, the law of
segregation, and the law of independent assortment. The law of dominance explained that
dominant trait is a trait whose appearance will always be seen in offspring. In other words,
dominance will describe the relationship between two alleles. In this experiment, one parent of
the corn has two copies of allele R which describe as the dominant allele, and the second parent
has two copies of allele s which describe as the recessive allele. The dominant allele for the
experiment is corn kernel that has purple color and yellow corn is recessive. The offspring of the
corn inherit RrSs genotype and display the dominant phenotype.

For law of segregation based on Mendel, he states that these two alleles will be separated
from each other during meiosis. Specifically, in the second of the two cell divisions of meiosis
the two copies of each chromosome will be separated from each other, causing the two distinct
alleles located on those chromosomes to segregate from one another. While for law of

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independent assortment, during gamete formation, the segregation of the alleles of one allelic
pair is independent of the segregation of the alleles of another allelic pair. In other words, the
way an allele pair gets segregated into two daughter cells during the second division of meiosis
has no effect on how any other allele pair gets segregated. It means that, the traits inherited
through one gene will be inherited independently of the traits inherited through another gene as
the genes inherent in on different chromosomes that are independently assorted into daughter
cells during meiosis. In this experiment, the law of segregation of the alleles and law of
independent assortment are demonstrated with the segregation of the alleles from the parent plant
and the random fertilization among the gametes that resulted to four different phenotypic
characteristics on the kernels of the ears of corns – purple and smooth, purple and wrinkled,
yellow and smooth, and yellow and wrinkled. These characteristics could be due to the random
segregation and fertilization of gametes of the parent plant as demonstrated in the cross mapping
of gametes of the parents with possible genotypes:

Genotype RrSs RrSs

RS rs RS rs
gametes

F1 generation

RRSS RrSs RrSs rrss

Ratio
3 (purple&smooth): 1 (yellow&wrinkled)

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Genotype: RrSs RrSs

Gametes:
Rs rS Rs rS

F1 generation

RRss RrSs RrSs rrSS

Ratio:
2 (purple&smooth): 1 (purple&wrinkled): 1 (yellow&smooth)

Genotype: RrSs RrSs

RS rs Rs rS
Gametes:

F1 :

RRSs Rrss RrSS rrSs

Ratio:
2 (purple&smooth): 1 (purple&wrinkled): 1 (yellow&smooth)

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Genotype:
RrSs RrSs

Gametes: Rs rS RS rs

F1 generation

RRSs RrSS Rrss rrSs

Ratio:
2 (purple&smooth): 1 (purple&wrinkled): 1 (yellow&smooth)

The F2 generation of the genetic corns used in this experiment was expected to have the
phenotypic ratio of 9(purple & smooth): 3(purple & wrinkled): 3(yellow & smooth):
1(yellow & wrinkled). This inheritance pattern can be shown through the punnett square of the
parents of the F2 generation:

RS Rs rS rs
RRSS RRSs RrSS RrSs
RS
(purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (purple&smooth)
RRSs RRss RrSs Rrss
Rs
(purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled) (purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled)
RrSS RrSs rrSS rrSs
rS
(purple&smooth) (purple&smooth) (yellow&smooth) (yellow&smooth)
RrSs Rrss rrSs Rrss
rs
(purple&smooth) (purple&wrinkled) (yellow&smooth) (yellow&wrinkled)

Hence, the result for this experiment for our group showed that corn kernel with purple color and
smooth texture is dominant with number of 984; followed by the purple and wrinkled kernel,
300; yellow and smooth kernel, 327; and the least number that is the yellow and wrinkled kernel
at 118 which is the recessive phenotypic traits. Thus, the phenotypic ratio of the kernels is 8.34:
2.54: 2.77: 1. Although the ratio is not fixed with the expected ratio, but it showed that the purple

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color is the dominant phenotypic trait while yellow is recessive while for the texture, from the
result it can be deduced that smooth texture is dominant compared to the wrinkled texture. This
result we obtained is in line with the expected result for this experiment.

The result for all groups is as followed. Corn kernel with purple color and smooth texture is
dominant with number of 4900; followed by the purple and wrinkled kernel, 1633; yellow and
smooth kernel, 1651; and the least number that is the yellow and wrinkled kernel at 549 which is
the recessive phenotypic traits. Thus, the phenotypic ratio of the kernels is 8.93: 2.97: 3.01: 1.

Overall, for Mendel’s dihybrid cross, F2 generation contained both parental types and
recombinant types with the phenotypic ratio 9: 3 :3 : 1. It follows Mendel’s law of independent
assortment that showed each of the two alleles is inherited independently from the other, with a
3:1 phenotypic ratio for each.

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CONCLUSION

As conclusion, dihybrid cross involves crossing of parents that yield or produce offspring
or generation with two distinguished genotypic traits; in this experiment, the genotypes for
aleurone color (dominant purple, R and recessive yellow, r) and the sugary genes that effect the
texture of the kernel (dominant smooth texture, S and recessive wrinkled texture, s); which
results in different combination of phenotypic traits – purple and smooth, purple and wrinkled,
yellow and smooth, yellow and wrinkled; based on the possible allele combinations of the
gametes fertilization of the parents. Three laws based by Gregor Mendel were explored in this
experiment that is first, the law of dominance where it is the dominant trait whose appearance
will always be seen in offspring; this can be seen from the experiment when purple color (R) and
smooth texture (S) are the dominant traits for the genetic corn observed. Next, for the law of
segregation and law of independent assortment where each allele from each genotype pairs were
segregated from one another and randomly and independently assorted; this can be seen in the
different phenotypic traits possessed by the kernels of the genetic corns that its overall
phenotypic ratio of 8.93(purple & smooth): 2.97(purple & wrinkled): 3.01(yellow & smooth):
1(yellow & wrinkled) also satisfied the expected phenotypic ratio of the genetic corn that is
9(purple & smooth): 3(purple & wrinkled): 3(yellow & smooth): 1(yellow & wrinkled).

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REFERENCES

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15, 2016, from About Education:

2. E. B. Ford (1960). Mendelism and Evolution (seventh ed.). Methuen & Co (London), and
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http://biology.about.com/od/geneticsglossary/g/dihybridcross.htm
3. McLeod, A., McLellan, S., & Tweedie, A. (2005). Allelic segregation and independent
assortment in T. brucei crosses: Proof that the genetic system is Mendelian and involves
meiosis. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 131.
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/mendel/mendel1.html
4. Mendelian Principle, Copyright © 2000. Phillip McClean.
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