ANS 322 TUTORIAL QUESTIONS BY EWUOLA M. K (Ph.
D)
2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION
Question 1:
In mice, tail length is controlled by a gene where long tail (L) is dominant over short tail (l), and
coat texture is regulated by another gene where smooth (S) is dominant over shaggy (s). These
two genes are linked. A mouse heterozygous for both traits (long tail and smooth coat) is crossed
with a mouse that is homozygous for a short tail and shaggy coat. The following progeny are
recorded:
• 42 – short tail, shaggy coat
• 45 – long tail, smooth coat
• 13 – short tail, smooth coat
• 10 – long tail, shaggy coat
Determine the following:
(a) the allelic arrangement (cis or trans) in the heterozygous parent, and
(b) The genetic distance between the tail length and coat texture loci.
Question 2:
In fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), red eyes (R) are dominant to sepia eyes (r), and straight
wings (W) are dominant to curved wings (w). These genes are linked. A fly heterozygous for both
traits and phenotypically red-eyed and straight-winged is crossed with a fly that is homozygous
for sepia eyes and curved wings. The progeny distribution is:
• 58 – sepia eyes, curved wings
• 62 – red eyes, straight wings
• 21 – sepia eyes, straight wings
• 19 – red eyes, curved wings
Identify the allelic configuration in the double heterozygous parent and calculate the
recombination frequency between the R and W genes.
Question 3:
In a plant species, purple stem (P) is dominant over green stem (p), and tall height (T) is dominant
over dwarf (t). The genes are linked. A heterozygous plant (Pp Tt) expressing the dominant
phenotypes is testcrossed with a homozygous recessive (pp tt) plant. The offspring phenotype
counts are:
• 47 – green stem, dwarf
• 50 – purple stem, tall
• 12 – green stem, tall
• 11 – purple stem, dwarf
1. Determine the allelic phase (cis or trans) in the heterozygous parent and
2. Compute the genetic linkage distance between the P and T genes.
Question 4:
In guinea pigs, rough coat (R) is dominant over smooth coat (r), and black fur (B) is dominant over
white fur (b). These genes are linked. A guinea pig heterozygous for both traits (Rr Bb), displaying
rough coat and black fur, is crossed with a guinea pig homozygous recessive for both traits. The
following progeny phenotypes are recorded:
• 40 – smooth coat, white fur
• 44 – rough coat, black fur
• 18 – smooth coat, black fur
• 16 – rough coat, white fur
(a) What is the configuration of alleles in the double heterozygote?
(b) What is the estimated genetic distance between the R and B loci?
Question 5:
In cattle, hornless (H) is dominant over horned (h), and red coat color (R) is dominant to white
coat (r). These two traits are controlled by genes that are linked. A hornless, red bull heterozygous
for both traits is mated with a horned, white cow (homozygous recessive). The offspring show the
following distribution:
• 59 – horned, white
• 63 – hornless, red
• 14–horned, red
• 12 – hornless, white
Analyze the progeny to:
1. Deduce the linkage phase of the heterozygous parent
2. Estimate the recombination frequency between the H and R genes.