You obtain an egg cell from the ovary of a white mouse and remove the nucleus from it. You then obtain a nucleus from a liver cell from an adult black mouse. You use the methods of nuclear transplantation to insert the nucleus into the empty egg. After some prompting, the new zygote divides into an early embryo, which you then implant into the uterus of a brown mouse. A few weeks later, a baby mouse is born. What color will it be? Why?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the source of the genetic material: In this scenario, the nucleus, which contains the genetic material determining many characteristics including fur color, is taken from a liver cell of a black mouse.
2. Understand the role of the egg cell: The egg cell from the white mouse has had its nucleus removed, so it does not contribute genetic information to the offspring, but provides the cellular machinery necessary for development.
3. Recognize the process of nuclear transplantation: This technique involves inserting a nucleus from one cell (in this case, from the black mouse) into an enucleated egg cell (from the white mouse). The genetic information in the transplanted nucleus will direct the development of the mouse.
4. Consider the role of the surrogate mother: The brown mouse serves as the surrogate mother, providing a nurturing environment for the embryo to develop. However, the surrogate mother does not contribute genetically to the color of the fur of the offspring.
5. Conclude the likely fur color of the offspring: Since the genetic information comes from the black mouse, and the egg cell and surrogate mother do not contribute genetically to the fur color, the baby mouse is likely to be black.