Gene interactions exam questions

The colour of the coat in Labrador dogs is controlled by two different genes, each of which has a dominant and
a recessive allele. The inheritance of the two genes is independent but the effects of the alleles interact to
produce either a black, chocolate or yellow coat.

Four genotypes and their respective phenotypes are shown in the table below:

Genotype Phenotype
BbEe Black
bbEe Chocolate
Bbee Yellow
bbee yellow

1. Which coat colour would you expect the following genotypes to give (2 marks)
(a) BBEe

(b) bbEE

2. Other than the two genotypes shown in the table, write another genotype that would lead to a
yellow coat (1 mark)

3. Use the table above and your answers to questions 1 and 2 to help you to complete the passage
below which explains this genetic interaction (6 marks)
The presence of two recessive alleles at the second locus _________ the expression at the first locus,
no matter which alleles are present there and results in a _____________ coat. If there is at least one
___________ allele at the second locus and at least one dominant allele at the first locus, then the
coat colour will be ________. In order for a Labrador to have a _____________ coat, they need to
have at least one dominant allele at the second locus and be ____________ _____________ at the
first locus

A male dog that was heterozygous for both genes was crossed with a bitch with the genotype bbee.

4. Complete the two tables below to show this genetic cross and the offspring that would have been
produced (5 marks)

Parent phenotype black

Parent genotype bbee

Gametes

Genetic cross

Offspring
genotype
 Offspring
phenotype