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With respect to this gene A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 9 - 2002 - Paper 1
Question 9
With respect to this gene A. an individual could have one of eight different genotypes. B. an individual could have one of six different phenotypes. C. a child co... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:With respect to this gene A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 9 - 2002 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. an individual could have one of eight different genotypes.
Answer
Genotypes refer to the genetic constitution of an individual. For a gene that exhibits multiple alleles, it is possible to have various combinations of alleles depending on the inheritance patterns. However, stating that there are eight genotypes requires that a specific number of alleles and their combinations are correctly accounted for. If we only consider two alleles, there could be three genotypes (homozygous dominant, homozygous recessive, and heterozygous). Thus, without additional context, this statement may not necessarily be true.
Step 2
B. an individual could have one of six different phenotypes.
Answer
Phenotypes are the expressed traits of an individual, which arise from the genotype in conjunction with environmental factors. Depending on the specific genetic basis (such as dominance, co-dominance, and incomplete dominance), it can be conceivable to have multiple phenotypes. However, without more context about the alleles involved, it is questionable to assert that there are exactly six different phenotypes.
Step 3
C. a child could have protein A even if both parents lacked protein A on their red blood cells.
Answer
This statement is essentially dependent on the genotype of both parents. If protein A is determined by a recessive allele, then it may theoretically be possible for parents who do not exhibit protein A to carry a recessive allele that can express protein A in their offspring. However, specific genetic mechanisms would need to be clarified to validate this assertion.
Step 4
D. a child with neither protein A nor B could have a mother with protein A and a father with protein B.
Answer
This statement is indeed plausible. If the child does not exhibit either protein A or B, it can be derived from parents who possess different alleles that do not dominate the child’s genotype. For instance, if the mother possesses a genotype that is heterozygous for protein A and the father is heterozygous or homozygous recessive for protein B, their child may inherit recessive alleles from both, resulting in the absence of both proteins.