Inheritance lab

Stay consistent and use the same letter for dominant and recessive, only
switching from upper case to lower case to differentiate.
A) Inheritance experiment one

In this lab you will make predictions using a Punnett Square and then use pennies
(or other coins) in a cup to simulate the crosses between two parents. The
expected results from the Punnett Square can then be compared to the observed
results. The trait you are looking at is the gene that codes for a short big toe in
humans. T represents the dominant allele (short big toe) and t is the recessive
allele (long big toe). Assume that heads (T) are dominant, and tails (t) are
recessive.
1) Fill in the expected phenotypes below:
Genotype / Phenotype
TT = Short big toe
Tt = Short big toe
tt = Long big toe

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2) Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of offspring from a cross where the
parents are both Tt.

What proportion of the offspring (out of 4) will be:

Short Toe – 3 of 4
Long Toe – 1 of 4
*These are your expected ratios. These numbers will go in Table 2 to compare
data. Your proportions from the Punnett Square in your prediction need to be
converted into percentages before then entering them into Table 2. ( 1/4 = 25 %,
2/4 = 50%, 3/4= 75%, 4/4 = 100% )
3) Now you will determine the observed ratios by using pennies to represent the
crosses between two parents. You can use something other than pennies as long
as there are two sides labeled. You have two pennies. One side of the penny is the
letter T, the other side is the letter t. One penny represents one parent that has

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the genotype Tt. The other penny represents the other parent with Tt . When a
coin is flipped, you are determining what sperm (T or t) or what egg (T or t) is
being donated to the match.
Procedure: To determine observed ratios, you will flip your coins 100 times on the
table, record in Table 1 below how often each combination comes up. (Use tally
marks to record your data and then get a total number.)
Table 1
Gene Combination Tally Total number
(Genotype)
TT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31
Tt IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 48
tt IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 21

Phenotypes Total
Short toe (add TT and Tt ) 79
Long toe 21

Because you have flipped the coins 100 times, your totals above represent a
percentage.
4) Place the percentages from the Punnett Square in the Expected column and
the totals from Table 1 below in the observed column in Table 2.
Table 2
Expected (from the Observed (from the
Punnett Square) flipped pennies)
TT 25% 31%
Tt 50% 48%
tt 25% 21%
Short toe 75% 79%
Long toe 25% 21%

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5) Questions:
a. Why are the expected ratios rarely the same as the observed ratios?
They are rarely the same because the ratio of the possible outcomes was the
same. Two T’s and t’s

b. Use a Punnett Square to predict the phenotypic ratios in this cross: TT x

Tt
Short toe 50%
Long toe 50%
c. If you used the coin toss method (rather than the Punnett Square) to
determine the expected ratios, would it come out the same?
Yes

d. What do the pennies represent in the simulation?

The pennies represent the carriers of the alleles.

B) Fill in the following table:

Heredity Terminology

Statement Term

Alternate form of a
Allele
gene
Character or trait seen
Trait
in individual

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 Heredity Terminology

Statement Term

The allele combination

contained in someone’s genotype
DNA
The trait that is
expressed in the Dominant
heterozygous individual
The trait that is masked
in the heterozygous Recessive
individual
When alleles of a gene
Heterozygous
pair are different
When alleles of a gene
Homozygous
pair are identical

C) Monohybrid Inheritance experiment two - answer the following questions:

Refer to the Practicing Punnett Squares portion of the Inheritance background

information for help.
Remember to be clear on the difference between phenotype and genotype ratios
(refer back to definitions). Also, we are not using percentages. We are using
ratios. Specify what the ratio covers. Ex. 1 AA : 3aa or 1 red : 3 orange.

1) In cats, longhaired allele (H) is dominant to shorthaired allele (h). A cat that is
heterozygous for hair length mates with a cat that is shorthaired.

Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring:

Hh Hh

hh hh

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What is the phenotype ratio of their offspring? - 2(h) : 2(H)

What is the genotype ratio of their offspring? – 2Hh : 2hh

2) In Albinism, no pigmentation is produced in the skin, hair, and eyes. This is due
to a mutation for the gene that produces the enzyme tyrosinase which produces
melanin. Albinism is a recessive trait. Two heterozygous parents (Aa), both with
normal pigmentation have offspring.

Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring:

AA Aa

Aa aa

What is the phenotype ratio of their offspring? - 1 : 4

What is the genotype ratio of their offspring? – 1AA : 2Aa : 1aa

What are the chances that their offspring will be albino? - 1 out of 4

3) In Mendel’s pea plants, height is controlled by one gene (T for tall and t for
short). Answer the following questions for crossing two F1 - first generation -
plants. Gametes are represented by one letter per given gene and the parent and
offspring are represented by two letters per given gene.

Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring:

TT Tt

Tt tt

What is the phenotype ratio of their offspring? – 3(T) : 1(t)

What is the genotype ratio of their offspring? - 1TT : 2Tt : 1tt

What is the genotype for a homozygous tall pea plant? – 4TT : 4TT

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What is the genotype for a heterozygous tall pea plant?_- 1TT : 2Tt : 1tt

What is the genotype for a short pea plant? 4tt : 4tt

Which one of Mendel’s laws does this illustrate? Law of dominance

Describe this law- The Law of Dominance describes a dominant Allele masks a recessive
Allele. Decides whether they carry that trait or not.

D) Dihybrid Inheritance experiment three - answer the following questions:

Refer to the Dihybrid portion of the Inheritance background information for help.

1) P Generation – first cross

Mendel bred two pea plants, one that was homozygous dominant and one that
was homozygous recessive for seed shape and seed color.

x
RRYY rryy

Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring.

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All F1 generation offspring will be RrYy.
2) F1 Generation - Second Cross
Cross the F1 generation offspring (all RrYy) and produce the next generation of
offspring.

Draw the FOIL Method for parents RrYy and RrYy.

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Fill out the Punnett Square to get the ratio of the offspring:

F1 Generation to Obtain F2 Generation

Gametes RY Ry ry

RY RYRY RYRY RYry

Ry RyRY RyRy Ryry

ry ryRY ryRy ryry

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Give the F2 Generation Phenotype Ratio: 4 : 3 : 1
Give the F2 Generation Genotype Ratio - 2RYRY : 1RYry : 2RyRY : 1Ryry : 2ryRY : 1ryry
Which one of Mendel’s laws does this illustrate? Independent assortment
Describe this law: The law of Independent assortment describes the alleles for different
traits occurs independently of one another.

E) Non-Mendelian genetics experiment 4

Refer to the Exceptions to Mendelian Laws background information for help.
1) Incomplete Dominance

CC-BY-Sa-4.0

a) In dogs, coat type follows incomplete dominance, with curly (AA) and straight-
haired dogs (aa) producing wavy haired dogs. This is due to keratin proteins. Two
labradoodle dogs with wavy hair (Aa) breed.

Draw a Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring:

AA Aa

Aa aa

What is the phenotype ratio of the offspring? - 3:1

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What is the genotype ratio of the offspring?_ - 3(A):1(a)
b) Snapdragon

In snapdragons, red (TT) and white (tt) homozygous flowers produce pink (Tt)
offspring.
What is the F1 phenotype ratio? - 4:4
What is the F1 genotype ratio? – 4Tt:4Tt
What is the F2 phenotype ratio? - 3:1
What is the F2 genotype ratio? - 1TT:2Tt:1tt

B) Sex-Linked Traits

After looking at the Test yourself for Red Green Color Blindness section, did the
test results suggest you may have red-green color blindness? Answer with: None,
Weak, Moderate, or Strong. _ NONE
* Always check with a physician – don’t just rely on online tests for diagnosis.

Color Blindness Punnett Squares

1) To do a Punnett square, note that you separate the X b from the Y. A male color-
blind person (Xb Y) and a female color-blind person (XbXb) have offspring.

Finish the Punnett Square to predict the ratio of the offspring:

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How many female offspring did you get from the Punnett square? 2

How many male offspring did you get from the Punnett square? 2

How many total offspring did you get from the Punnett square? 4

2) Colorblindness is a recessive sex-linked trait. It is on the X chromosome.

Maria is a carrier for colorblindness (is heterozygous) and Damion is not
colorblind.
Do the Punnett square to determine the offspring:
X^bX X^bY

XX XY

What are the chances their daughter will be colorblind (in percentages)? 50%

What are the chances their son will be colorblind (in percentages)?_ 50%

What is the percentage of colorblind children? 50%

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3) Monica is colorblind. She knows that her mother is not colorblind (but may be a
carrier).

Do the Punnett square to determine the offspring:

XX^b XY

XX^b XY

What are her parent’s genotypes? Write Mom’s and Dad's genotype. (Hint: Put
Monica inside a Punnett Square to see what her parents could be)

XX – mom

X^bY - dad

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