Biology 9700 · AS & A Level · Passage of information from parents to offspring

Passage of information from parents to offspring — practice question

In mice, fur colour is determined by a gene with several alleles. These alleles are given here in no special order: black and tan = $C^{bt}$, agouti = $C^{a}$, yellow = $C^{y}$, black = $C^{b}$.
(a(i))[2]

Offer explanations for the outcomes of the following mouse crosses. When mice with agouti fur are crossed with mice with black fur, the offspring may all be agouti, or they may include both agouti and black individuals.

(a(ii))[2]

Crosses involving heterozygous parents with genotype $C^{y}C^{b}$ always give two yellow mice for every one black mouse.

(a(iii))[2]

When a mouse with yellow fur is crossed with a mouse with black fur, the result can be one of these: some yellow offspring and some agouti offspring; some yellow offspring and some black and tan offspring; some yellow offspring and some black offspring.

(b)[2]

A test cross is used to find the genotype of an organism. Describe how you would perform a test cross to determine the genotype of a black and tan mouse.

Worked solution & mark scheme

This 8-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: Agouti allele $C^A$ dominant over black $C^b$

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