Below is an epistatic pathway for feather color in parrots. At each point, the a

Question

Below is an epistatic pathway for feather color in parrots. At each point, the allele on top of the arrow continues function of the pathway and the allele(s) under the arrow disrupt the pathway. Recessive and dominant mutations are noted. Using this pathway, determine the phenotype of the given parrot.

              W-                             Y-                   rr                          P-

white---------------->yellow-------------->red-------------->purple-------------->blue

           W` or ww                     yy                      R-                         pp

a. Rupert: ww Yy RR Pp=

b. Leona: Ww Yy rr Pp=

Explanation / Answer

Epistasis is when a gene regulates the expression of another (other) gene (s). In this problem, at each point, the allele on top of the arrow continues on the pathway and the allele(s) under the arrow disrupt the pathway.

Any allele with apostrophe is mutated (W' = mutated dominant allele)

For a parrot to be white (stop in the color chain), its genotype must be: W'- or ww. If on the other hand, its genotype is W- (WW or Ww), it continues in the color chain to be yellow. If then it is yy it stops there in yellow (and the parrot will be yellow). If its genotype is Y-, it continues in the color chain to be red. If then it is R- (RR or R-), it stops there and is red, if its rr it continues to be purple. If then it is pp, it stops there and is purple, if its P- then it continues in the color chain and it will be blue. Taking the information above into account:

a. Rupert: ww Yy RR Pp= white

b. Leona: Ww Yy rr Pp= blue

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