Given the inheritance pattern of coat color in rats described in Problem 17, predict the genotype and phenotype of the parents who produced the following offspring: 9/16 gray: 3/16 yellow: 4/16 albino

Key Concepts

Mendelian Inheritance

Mendelian inheritance refers to the principles of heredity established by Gregor Mendel, which include the concepts of dominant and recessive alleles. In this context, the inheritance of coat color in rats can be analyzed using Mendel's laws, particularly the law of segregation, which states that alleles segregate independently during gamete formation.

Genotype and Phenotype

The genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the alleles it possesses, while the phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics resulting from the genotype. In this question, understanding the relationship between the genotypes of the parents and the phenotypes of the offspring is crucial for predicting the inheritance pattern.

Punnett Square

A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genetic outcomes of a cross between two organisms. It helps visualize the possible combinations of alleles from the parents, allowing for the calculation of expected phenotypic ratios in the offspring. In this case, constructing a Punnett square based on the given ratios will aid in determining the likely genotypes of the parent rats.