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Ch. 5 - Chromosome Mapping in Eukaryotes
Chapter 5, Problem 16

In Drosophila, Dichaete (D) is a mutation on chromosome III with a dominant effect on wing shape. It is lethal when homozygous. The genes ebony body (e) and pink eye (p) are recessive mutations on chromosome III. Flies from a Dichaete stock were crossed to homozygous ebony, pink flies, and the F₁ progeny, with a Dichaete phenotype, were backcrossed to the ebony, pink homozygotes. Using the results of this backcross shown in the table, Phenotype Number Dichaete 401 ebony, pink 389 Dichaete, ebony 84 pink 96 Dichaete, pink 2 ebony 3 Dichaete, ebony, pink 12 wild type 13 What is the sequence and interlocus distance between these three genes?

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Identify the parental phenotypes and the double crossover phenotypes from the backcross results. The parental phenotypes are the most frequent, and the double crossovers are the least frequent.
Determine the gene order by comparing the parental phenotypes with the double crossover phenotypes. The gene that differs between these two sets is the one in the middle.
Calculate the recombination frequency between each pair of genes. This is done by adding the number of recombinant offspring for each pair and dividing by the total number of offspring, then multiplying by 100 to get the percentage.
Use the recombination frequencies to determine the map distances between the genes. The map distance in centimorgans (cM) is equivalent to the recombination frequency percentage.
Construct a genetic map showing the sequence and distances between the genes based on the calculated recombination frequencies.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gene Linkage

Gene linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. This phenomenon affects the assortment of alleles and can lead to non-Mendelian ratios in offspring. Understanding gene linkage is crucial for analyzing the inheritance patterns observed in the Drosophila backcross results.
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07:33
Chi Square and Linkage

Recombination Frequency

Recombination frequency is a measure of the likelihood that two genes will be separated during meiosis due to crossing over. It is calculated by dividing the number of recombinant offspring by the total number of offspring. This frequency is used to estimate the genetic distance between genes, which is expressed in map units or centimorgans (cM).
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Recombination after Single Strand Breaks

Phenotypic Ratios

Phenotypic ratios represent the relative frequencies of different phenotypes observed in the offspring of a genetic cross. In this case, the ratios derived from the backcross data provide insights into the inheritance patterns of the Dichaete, ebony, and pink genes. Analyzing these ratios helps in determining the linkage relationships and distances between the genes.
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Mutations and Phenotypes
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Another cross in Drosophila involved the recessive, X-linked genes yellow (y), white (w), and cut (ct). A yellow-bodied, white-eyed female with normal wings was crossed to a male whose eyes and body were normal but whose wings were cut. The F₁ females were wild type for all three traits, while the F₁ males expressed the yellow-body and white-eye traits. The cross was carried to an F₂ progeny, and only male offspring were tallied. On the basis of the data shown here, a genetic map was constructed. Phenotype Male Offspring y + ct 9 + w + 6 y w ct 90 + + + 95 + + ct 424 y w + 376 y + + 0 + w ct 0 Construct a map, assuming that white is at locus 1.5 on the X chromosome.
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Textbook Question
Another cross in Drosophila involved the recessive, X-linked genes yellow (y), white (w), and cut (ct). A yellow-bodied, white-eyed female with normal wings was crossed to a male whose eyes and body were normal but whose wings were cut. The F₁ females were wild type for all three traits, while the F₁ males expressed the yellow-body and white-eye traits. The cross was carried to an F₂ progeny, and only male offspring were tallied. On the basis of the data shown here, a genetic map was constructed. Phenotype Male Offspring y + ct 9 + w + 6 y w ct 90 + + + 95 + + ct 424 y w + 376 y + + 0 + w ct 0 Could the F₂ female offspring be used to construct the map? Why or why not?
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Textbook Question
Another cross in Drosophila involved the recessive, X-linked genes yellow (y), white (w), and cut (ct). A yellow-bodied, white-eyed female with normal wings was crossed to a male whose eyes and body were normal but whose wings were cut. The F₁ females were wild type for all three traits, while the F₁ males expressed the yellow-body and white-eye traits. The cross was carried to an F₂ progeny, and only male offspring were tallied. On the basis of the data shown here, a genetic map was constructed. Phenotype Male Offspring y + ct 9 + w + 6 y w ct 90 + + + 95 + + ct 424 y w + 376 y + + 0 + w ct 0 Were any double-crossover offspring expected?
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Textbook Question
In Drosophila, Dichaete (D) is a mutation on chromosome III with a dominant effect on wing shape. It is lethal when homozygous. The genes ebony body (e) and pink eye (p) are recessive mutations on chromosome III. Flies from a Dichaete stock were crossed to homozygous ebony, pink flies, and the F₁ progeny, with a Dichaete phenotype, were backcrossed to the ebony, pink homozygotes. Using the results of this backcross shown in the table, Phenotype Number Dichaete 401 ebony, pink 389 Dichaete, ebony 84 pink 96 Dichaete, pink 2 ebony 3 Dichaete, ebony, pink 12 wild type 13 Diagram this cross, showing the genotypes of the parents and offspring of both crosses.
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Textbook Question
Drosophila females homozygous for the third chromosomal genes pink and ebony (the same genes from Problem 16) were crossed with males homozygous for the second chromosomal gene dumpy. Because these genes are recessive, all offspring were wild type (normal). F₁ females were testcrossed to triply recessive males. If we assume that the two linked genes, pink and ebony, are 20 mu apart, predict the results of this cross. If the reciprocal cross were made (F₁ males—where no crossing over occurs—with triply recessive females), how would the results vary, if at all?
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Textbook Question
In Drosophila, two mutations, Stubble (Sb) and curled (cu), are linked on chromosome III. Stubble is a dominant gene that is lethal in a homozygous state, and curled is a recessive gene. If a female of the genotype is to be mated to detect recombinants among her offspring, what male genotype would you choose as a mate?
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