Mendel Lab

Assignment 1 You will survey individuals to determine

their phenotype and possible genotype based
on four traits. Record your findings on the
Genetic Survey Form on pages 5–6.
Assignment 2 To test your understanding of Mendelian
principles, complete the exercises on pages
11–17.
The objective of this lab is to introduce you to patterns of inheritance as determined by Gregor
Mendel. The work of Gregor Mendel is frequently introduced late in the study of heredity, often
after students have learned about heredity at the cell level (meiosis) and even at the molecule
(DNA) level. However, in the nineteenth century, Mendel was the first to establish the essential
principles of heredity through his work with the garden pea plant. Mendel knew nothing about
the cellular or molecular actions of organisms. Indeed, this type of information was completely
unknown in Mendel's day. Nonetheless, Mendel established the fundamental laws of heredity
without knowledge of meiosis or DNA replication. He accomplished this feat by carefully
documenting the reproductive patterns in pea plants. In this manual, you will first learn about
inheritance at the level of the whole organism, which was Mendel's approach to the question of
heredity. Later, we will examine Mendel's ideas at the level of the cell and molecule.
Discoveries
Particulate Inheritance
For centuries, people have recognized a relationship between parents' characteristics and those
seen in their offspring. In the nineteenth century, many scholars suggested that hereditary
material was blended into the offspring, producing progeny that was blended commodities of the
parents (father's eyes, mother's hair color, etc.). Mendel countered this idea by suggesting that
the hereditary material in all organisms consisted of discrete structures that did not blend. He
proposed that a pair of genetic factors controlled every characteristic in an individual. Today we
refer to these factors as genes with pairs of alleles. Mendel further suggested that an individual
acquired one of these alleles from each parent. This theory, first articulated by Mendel, is called
particulate inheritance.
Dominance and Recessive
If Mendel was correct about alleles not blending and how they were transmitted from parent to
offspring, then there must be an explanation for the differential expression of some
characteristics. For example, in Mendel's experiments, plants with tall stem lengths were crossed
with plants with short stem lengths, but only tall offspring were produced. If those offspring
inherited one allele from each parent, it should have one tall allele and one short allele.
Nonetheless, they were all tall in their stem height. To explain this phenomenon, Mendel
suggested that characteristics (alleles) could either be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele
is expressed in an individual with two different alleles for a particular gene (a
heterozygous individual), and a recessive allele is not expressed in a heterozygous individual.
Therefore, if a
plant inherited a tall allele from one parent and a short allele from the other parent and this plant
was tall in its appearance, then in this species, the tall allele is dominant. This feature of
inheritance is why characteristics can seem to skip a generation. The characteristic of short stem
length was seen in one of the parental populations (the homozygous recessive plants), it was not
apparent in the F1 offspring (heterozygous individuals), yet it seemed to reappear in some
individuals in the F2 generation (homozygous recessive individuals).
Principles or Laws
Principle of Segregation
Today we know that hereditary traits are transmitted from parents to their young and that each
parent passes one-half of their genetic code to the offspring. Mendel's work established these
basic rules of heredity. In Mendel's principle of segregation, he describes the transmission of the
parental genetic codes (alleles) to the offspring. Each parent contributes one allele from every
genetic pair to the offspring via their gametes (sperm and ova). Therefore, each parent passes
one-half of their genetic code to the offspring and one-half of every gene (pair of alleles) to the
offspring. Regardless of your perception of having your mother's eyes or your father's nose, you
have half of your eye genetic codes (alleles) and half of your nose genetic codes from each of
your parents. The principle of segregation states: in the formation of the gametes, the paired
heredity factors (pairs of alleles) separate, forming gametes with one or the other of the factors.
Principle of Independent Assortment
In his principle of independent assortment, Mendel proposes that during gamete (sperm and ova)
production, each allele pair segregates into gametes independently of other allele pairs. Linkage
(which will be discussed later) produces violations of this principle.
Important Terms:
Gene – sequence of DNA that codes for a
protein. Allele – alternate forms of a gene.
Homozygous – an individual with 2 of the identical alleles for a particular gene.
Heterozygous – an individual with two different alleles for a particular gene.
Dominance – is a genetic code that is expressed in a heterozygous individual.
Recessive – is a genetic code not expressed in a heterozygous individual.
Phenotype – the observable characteristics of an individual.
Genotype – the complete hereditary code of an individual.

Assignment 1 – Genetic Survey

In the first part of today's lab, you will look at simple Mendelian traits in our species. A simple
Mendelian trait is a characteristic controlled by a single gene. This gene could have several
different alleles available to it in the species' gene pool. An excellent example of a simple
Mendelian trait in our species is the ABO Blood Antigen system. There are three alleles for this
gene, the A and B alleles, which are dominant, and the recessive O allele. The notation generally
used for this gene system utilizes the letter "i." An upper case "I" with the superscript A or B
denotes the A and B alleles, whereas a lower case "i" denotes the O allele.
Table 1 – ABO Blood Antigen System

Genotype Phenotype

IAIA Homozygous dominant Blood Type A individual

individual
IAi Heterozygous individual Blood Type A individual
IBIB Homozygous dominant Blood Type B individual
individual
IB i Heterozygous individual Blood Type B individual
IAIB Heterozygous individual Blood Type AB individual
ii Homozygous recessive Blood Type O individual
individual
You are going to be working with traits that have been thought to be inherited in a simple
Mendelian fashion. These characteristics have been used for decades to illustrate Mendelian
inheritance in humans. However, while current research confirms that these traits are under
genetic control, they are not controlled by a single gene with only two alleles. We will,
nonetheless, utilze these features to illustrate inheritance in humans. Although these
characteristics have a complex inheritance pattern, they generally tend to display expressions
similar to that of simple dominant/ recessive genes. This exercise is designed to allow students to
view variations under genetic control and develop an understanding of genotype, phenotype, and
Mendel's ideas of dominant and recessive alleles. The traits you will work on in this assignment
are listed on the next page in Table 2. Record your findings on the Genetic Survey Form on
pages 5–6. You should survey an individual and determine each genetic trait's phenotype and
possible genotypes. Your task is to identify the trait, check its inheritance pattern in Table 2,
record the phenotype, and determine the individual's possible genotypes. Begin this exercise by
surveying your lab partner and yourself. Outside of class, survey some friends or relatives for a
sample size of 5 individuals. If you can include relatives in your survey, think through the
patterns of inheritance to see if these traits behave as expected. If you understand Mendel's
principles, information from relatives will allow you to reach more specific conclusions about
genotypes.
Remember that we are using these traits to illustrate these Mendelian concepts even though
they have a more complex inheritance. You may encounter a group of related individuals in
which the inheritance of the traits appears to violate Mendel's rules. For example, you might
come upon a group in which two people with the recessive phenotype have produced offspring
with the dominant phenotype. This would not be possible if the trait were a simple Mendelian
trait with one gene and two alleles. Most individuals will display patterns that conform to simple
Mendelian laws but don't be alarmed if you find exceptions in these patterns. Remember, in
reality, all of the traits in this exercise have a complex genetic foundation and are not controlled
by one gene with two alleles. For further information regarding the inheritance of Mendelian
traits in our species, see Victor A. McKusick's website Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and
John H. McDonald's Myths of Human Genetics. Figures 1 and 2 below are described in Table 2
on the next page
Figure 1 – Attached Ear Lobe Figure 2 – Unattached Ear Lobe
Attached Unattached

Figure 3 – Tongue Rolling Figure 4 – Location of Middle Segment

middle segment
Table 2 – Simple Mendelian Characteristics in Humans

Feature Definition Dom./ Rec. Genotype Phenotype

PTC Tasting * The ability to Dominant TT

taste Recessive Tt
phenylthiocarba tt
mide. This Taster (those
chemical is an who perceive a
artificially bitter taste for
synthesized this substance)
substance Non-taster
perceived as (those who do
having a bitter not perceive
taste in some any taste for this
individuals. substance
Unable to taste
the substance.
Tongue Rolling The ability to Dominant RR Rr Roller (those
fold the lateral Recessive rr who can roll the
margins of the tongue)
tongue upwards.
Non-roller
Unable to fold
(those who
the lateral
cannot roll the
 margins of the
tongue upwards. tongue)
Earlobe Unattached Dominant EE Ee ee Unattached or
Attachment earlobes or free- Recessive Free hanging
hanging earlobes Attached
dip below the
ear's attachment
to the head.
Earlobes attach
directly to the
side of the head.
Mid-Digital Hair Presence of hair Dominant HH Hh hh
Mid-Digital Hair
on the middle Recessive
present
segment of the
Mid-Digital Hair
digit.
Absence of hair. absent
* Frequency of non-tasters for PTC of various groups: Chinese 2.0%, Inuit 41.0%, Japanese
8.2%, Swedish 32.0%, U.S. White 29.8%, W. African 2.7%. ( Data from [Molnar, 1998])
Name Date

Assignment 1 – Genetic Survey Form

Use the information below as an EXAMPLE of how to complete the Genetic Survey Forms.

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype

Tasting PTC Taster TT or Tt
Tongue Rolling non-roller rr
Earlobes attached ee
Mid-Digital Hair present HH or Hh
If you know the biological relationships between subjects, you may be able to determine
genotypes more precisely. Specifically, you could differentiate between heterozygous
or homozygous dominant individuals.

Subject #1 (lab partner)

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype

Tasting PTC Non-taster tt
Tongue Rolling Roller Rr
Earlobes Attached ee
Mid-Digital Hair Present Hh
Subject #2 (yourself)

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype

Tasting PTC Taster Tt
Tongue Rolling Roller Rr
Earlobes Attached ee
Mid-Digital Hair Present Hh

Subject #3 Relationship to other subject Sibling

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype
Tasting PTC Taster Tt
Tongue Rolling Non-roller rr
Earlobes Non attached Ee
Mid-Digital Hair Absent hh

Subject #4 Relationship to other subjects? Friend

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype
Tasting PTC Non-taster tt
Tongue Rolling Non-roller rr
Earlobes Attached ee
Mid-Digital Hair Present Hh

Subject #5 Relationship to other subjects? Classmate

Characteristics Phenotype Possible Genotype
Tasting PTC Taster Tt
Tongue Rolling Non-roller rr
Earlobes Attached ee
Mid-Digital Hair Present Hh

Comments regarding any unusual patterns you may have encountered:

Non-rolling attached earlobes and taster ability are shared among the test subjects, the
majority of the subjects having one or two of those abilities. Only one test subject had all
the trait abilities that were being studied

Assignment 2 – Mendelian Problems

Mendelian principles can be used to solve some genetic questions. As you work through these
Mendelian problems, you can apply the basic principles of Mendel's work and test your
understanding of these principles. One should apply a series of steps to most Mendelian
problems. Begin by identifying the given information in the problem, which generally provides
data about the parents. Follow these steps.
1. Examine this information and determine if you have been provided with phenotype or
genotype data. If you were given phenotype information, it should be converted into
genotypes.
2. Determine what types of gametes each parent is capable of producing.
3. Determine how these gametes could be combined to produce offspring.
4. Calculate frequencies of offspring genotypes.
5. Calculate frequencies of offspring phenotypes.
To solve a particular problem, you might need to go through all of these steps, or you might only
need to go through a limited number of steps. The steps themselves are straightforward; the only
challenge to these problems is determining what is being asked of you (which steps to do) and
understanding how this all goes back to Mendel's work.
Steps 1 and 2 – Identify the given information in the problem.
You had already practiced steps 1 and 2 when you completed the Genetic Survey Forms. In that
exercise, you were asked to determine a subject's phenotype and genotype. In this exercise, you
should begin by reading the information in a problem and determine the parents' genotype.
Step 3 – Determine what types of gametes each parent is capable of producing.

Genetics Terminology
Any letter can be used to represent a characteristic. The first letter of the feature is frequently
 used, such as T, for tasting PTC. The alleles for a single trait are written together with an upper
case letter representing the dominant allele and a lower case for the recessive.
Determining the variety of possible gametes a parent could produce requires understanding
Mendel's basic principles. Recall the principle of segregation, which states, in the formation of
the gametes, the paired heredity factors (pairs of alleles) separate, forming gametes with one or
the other of the factors. Therefore, one must examine each pair of alleles as each pair will
separate and go into separate gametes. For example, a heterozygous parent for tongue rolling
(Rr) could produce gametes with an R allele or an r allele.
If the problem you are working on involves more than one gene or characteristic (i.e., more
than one pair of alleles), then Mendel's second principle should be invoked. The principle of
independent assortment
states that differing traits will segregate independently of each other. If a parent were
heterozygous for tongue rolling and the ability to taste PTC, they would have the genotype of
RrTt. This person could produce the following gametes: RT, Rt, rT, and rt. The tongue rolling
allele pair segregates independently of the PTC tasting allele pair. Each gamete, however, will
only inherit one allele from each allele pair. When working with problems that involve more
than one trait, utilize a tree diagram discussed on the next page.
TABLE 3 – Examples of Gamete Formation
Parent Genotype Gamete 1 Gamete 2 Gamete 3 Gamete 4
Parent #1 − Aa A a A a
Parent #2 − BB B B B B
Parent #3 − DE DE DE DE
DDEE
Parent #4 − DE DE dE dE
DdEE
Parent #5 − DE De dE de
DdEe
If you have difficulty combining the alleles into gametes, you can utilize a tree diagram device.
To utilize this device, establish the individual's genotype, separate the first and second allele pair
and follow each branch to sum up, the alleles in the gamete.

Parent Separate 1st Separate 2nd Combine alleles along the line

Genotype allele pair allele pair to produce individual gametes

E = DE
D
 e De
E = dE
DdEe

=
d
e = de
Parent Genotype Separate 1st allele pair Separate 2 nd
allele
Separate 3 rd Combine
pair alleles along the line
allele pair to produce
individual gametes
F = DEF
As illustrated below, a tree diagram can also be used in problems involving 3 or 4
traits. f =DEf F = DeF
f = Def
F = dEF
DdEeFf

f = dEf
F = deF f = def Step 4 – Determine how the gametes could be combined to produce
offspring.
A simple way to determine the variety of offspring
Punnett
a breeding
squarepair
illustrating
of organisms
offspring
could produce is to utilize a

Punnett square. You draw a box or table with the number of rows and columns equal to the
variety of gametes the parents can produce. If a male and female were heterozygous (Aa) for a
trait, they both would be able to produce gametes with either the A allele or the allele. Draw a
table and place the female's gametes (the ova) along the top of the table and the male's gametes
(the sperm) along the left side of the table, as shown here to the right. Each cell or box within the
table represents a possible offspring these parents could produce. If the female's ovum with the
dominant A was fertilized with the male's Sperm sperm carrying the dominant A, a homozygous
dominant
offspring would be produced. If, however, the female's ovum with the recessive a was fertilized
with the male's sperm carrying the dominant A, a heterozygous offspring would be produced.
The four cells within this table or square represent the four possible offsprings these parents
could produce.
Many of you may not need to use the Punnett square when working with a simple hybrid
cross. However, it can be beneficial when attempting to determine offspring from mating
individuals with multiple characteristics, as illustrated below. In this illustration, the parents are
heterozygous for tongue rolling (Rr) characteristics and tasting PTC (Tt). Their genotypes would
be written as Rr Tt, and each parent could produce the following types of gametes: RT, Rt, rT,
and rt. The possible gametes are placed at the top and side of the square and then combined into
the potential offspring in the interior cells.
Step 5 – Calculate frequencies of offspring genotypes and phenotypes
Examine the interior cells of the Punnett square below, and it will display the variety of offspring
the parents can produce. Table 4 on the next page summarizes the offspring variation these
parents could generate.
Punnett square
illustrating offspring combinations - two traits (dihybrid cross)
Table 4 – Offspring Genotype and Phenotype Frequencies
Genotype Genotype Frequency Phenotypes Phenotypes
Frequency
1 = 1/16 = .0625 =
RRTT 6.25%
2 = 2/16 = .125 =
RRTt 12.5%
2 = 2/16 = .125 =
RrTT 12.5%
4 = 4/16 = .25 = 9 = 9/16 = .5625 =
RrTt 25.0% Roller, Taster 56.25%
1 = 1/16 = .0625 =
RRtt 6.25%
2 = 2/16 = .125 = 3 = 3/16 = .1875 =
Rrtt 12.5% Roller, Nontaster 18.75%
1 = 1/16 = .0625 =
rrTT 6.25%
2 = 2/16 = .125 = 3 = 3/16 = .1875 =
rrTt 12.5% Nonroller, Taster 18.75%
1 = 1/16 = .0625 = 1 = 1/16 = .0625 =
rrtt 6.25% Nonroller Nontaster 6.25%
Name Date

Assignment 2 – Mendelian Genetics Exercises

Questions 1 through 10 deal with phenotype and genotype identification and gamete formation,
as explained in steps 1, 2, and 3 on pages 7 and 8. Questions 11 through 18 will require that
you address all five steps explained on pages 7 through 9. Questions 19 and 20 ask you to apply
genetic knowledge to the real-world problem
 1. What is an individual's genotype(s) unable to roll their tongue? rr
2. What is the phenotype of an individual with the genotype Rr? A roller
3. What is the genotype(s) of an individual with blood type O who can roll their tongue?
Rrii
4. What is the phenotype of the following individuals?
a. a. IAIA Homozygous Blood type A dominant individual
b. IBi - Heterozygous blood type B individual
c. Heterozygous blood type AB individual.
IAIB

5. What kinds of gametes can be produced by an individual who is homozygous recessive

for two traits, aabb?
Parent genotype- aabb
Gametes- ab, ab, ab, ab.

6. What kinds of gametes can be produced by an individual who has attached earlobes and
lacks mid-digit hair?
Attached earlobe- ee
Lack mid digit hair- hh
Parent genotype- eehh
Gametes – eh, eh, eh, eh.

7. What kinds of gametes can be produced by an individual who is heterozygous for two
traits, AaBb?
Parent genotype- AaBb
Gametes- AB, Ab, aB,
ab.

8. What kinds of gametes can be produced by an individual who is homozygous recessive

for three traits, aabbdd?
abd, abd, abd, abd, abd, abd, abd, abd, abd
 9. What kinds of gametes can be produced by an individual who is heterozygous for three
traits, AaBbDd? (A skeleton of the tree diagram is provided below for your use in this
problem, if you wish to use it.)
D- ABD
B d- ABd
A
b D- AbD
d.- Abd

D- AbD
B d- aBd
a.
b. D- abD
d.- abd

10. What are the kinds of gametes that an individual a. can produce with the genotype
AaBbDDEe? (Use the space below to draw a tree diagram.) ABDE, ABDe, AbDE,
AbDe, aBDE, aBDe, abDE, abDe
E -ABDE
D
e. -ABDe
B E -ABDE
D
A e -ABDe
E -AbDe
D
b. e -AbDe
E -AbDE
 D
e. -AbDe
E -aBDE
D
B e -aBDe
E -aBDE
a D
e. -aBDe
E -abDE
D
e. -abDe
E -abDE
b. D
e. -abDe

13. Assume that a female, who is heterozygous for blood type B (genotype I Bi), marries a man
who is heterozygous for blood type A (genotype IAi). They are interested in knowing the possible
blood types of their future children. (See page 2, Table 1 for a review of genotype notation used
in the ABO system.)

a. What is the genotype of the female in the above description? IBi.

b. What is the genotype of the male in the above description? IAi
c. What are the kinds of gametes the female will produce? IB, i, IB, i
d. What are the kinds of gametes the male will produce? IA i, IA i

Use the Punnett square below to determine the possible genotypes of their offspring.

B i Ova
I
A A B IAi
I I I

i IBi ii
Sperm
 e. What are the possible genotypes of the offspring? IAIB, IBi, IAi, ii
f. What is the frequency of each offspring genotype? ¼ = 25%
g. What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring?

Heterozygous individual blood type AB- IAIB

Heterozygous individual blood type B- IBi

Heterozygous individual blood type A- IAi

Homozygous recessive individual blood type O- ii

h. What is the frequency of each offspring phenotype? 25%
14. A male who is phenotypically blood type B but genotypically heterozygous marries a female
with type AB blood. The couple is interested in learning the possible blood types of their future
children.

i. What is the genotype of the male parent? IBi

j. What is the genotype of the female parent? IAIB
k. What kinds of gametes will the male produce? IB, i, IB, i
l. What kinds of gametes will the female produce? IA, IB IA IB

Use the Punnett square below to determine the possible genotypes of their offspring.

A B OVA
I I
B A B B B
I I I I I
i IAi IBi
SPERM

m. What are the possible genotypes of the offspring? IAIB IBIB IAi IBi
n. What is the frequency of each offspring genotype? 25%
o. What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring?
Heterozygous blood type AB
Homozygous blood type B
Heterozygous blood type A
Heterozygous blood type B
 p. What is the frequency of each offspring phenotype? 25%
Which of Mendel's principles is illustrated by the above problems?
Principle of Segregation
15. A couple is heterozygous for two features, earlobe attachment, and blood type.
Phenotypically, both the male and female parent have free-hanging earlobes and type A blood.

q. What is the genotype of the male parent? IAi, Ee

r. What is the genotype of the female parent? IAi, Ee
s. What kinds of gametes will the male produce? IAE, iE, IA e, ie
t. What kinds of gametes will the female produce? IAE, iE, IA e, ie

Use the Punnett square below to determine the possible genotypes of their offspring.

A i E e OVA
I
I
A A A
I I IA i IA E IA e
i IA i ii Ei ei
E IA E Ei EE Ee
e IA e ei Ee ee
SPERM

u. What are the possible genotypes of the offspring and their frequency?

IAIA -I/16, ii- 1/16, Ei- 2/16, ei- 2/16, EE-1/16, Ee- 2/16, ee- 1/16, IA I-
2/16, IAE- 2/16, IAe- 2/16,

v. What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring and their frequency?

Homozygous blood group A 1/16= 6.25% IAIA

Heterozygous blood group A 2/16= 12.5% IA i

Heterozygous blood group and free hanging earlobe 2/16= 12.5% IA E

Homozygous recessive 1/16= 6.25% ii
Free hanging earlobe with recessive blood group O 2/16 12.5%
Ei Attached earlobe with recessive blood group O 2/16= 12.5% ei
Free hanging earlobe 2/16= 12.5% EE

Heterozygous blood group A with recessive attached ear 2/16=12.5% IA

e Recessive attached earlobe 2/16= 12.5% ee

Which of Mendel's principles is being illustrated by the above problem?
Principle of Independent Assortment

What led you to that conclusion?

Because the genes segregate independently during gamete formation

17. Two breeding individuals are each heterozygous for tongue rolling and tasting
PTC. Use the Punnett square below to determine the possible genotypes of their
offspring.

Tt Rr OVA
Tt TtTt TtRr
Rr TtRr RrRr
SPERM

w. What is the frequency of offspring from the above mating that will a. be able to taste PTC
and be able to roll their tongue? 2/4= 50%
x. What is the frequency of offspring from the above mating that will b. not be able to taste
PTC and not be able to roll their tongue? 2/4= 50%
y. What is the frequency of offspring from the above mating that will c. be heterozygous for
both traits? 2/4= 50%
18. Two breeding individuals are heterozygous for earlobe attachment, mid-digital hair, and
Darwin's tubercle. What percentage of their offspring will not have mid-digital hair, not have
Darwin's tubercle, and not have attached earlobes? (Use the workspace below and the Punnett
square on the next page for this problem.)Types of gametes:father's - Ee, Hh, Pp mother's Ee,
Hh, Pp
Types of gametes: father’s EHP, EHp, EhP, Ehp, eHP, eHp, ehP, ehp Mother’s - EHP, EHp,
EhP, Ehp, eHP, eHp, ehP, ehp
Ee Hh Pp OVA
Ee EeEe HhEe PpEe
Hh HhEe HhHh HhPp
Pp PpEe HhPp PpPp
SPERM

19. You are a CSI (crime scene investigator) and are called to a murder scene at a residence in
Beverly Hills. Police are already at the scene along with a frantic man because his wife and son
are missing, and there is blood on the entryway floor. You collect blood samples, fingerprints,
and all other relevant data from the scene. You collect the husband's fingerprints and blood
samples to exclude his prints and blood from the remaining crime scene data. You send the
fingerprints and DNA off to the lab for analysis but process the blood yourself since blood typing
is a simple lab test. You find that the mother and the son both had type O blood, and the husband
had type AB. Your data may not tell where the mother and son are, but it does say something
significant about the relationships within this family.
z. What would you advise the police about this family?
I would advise the police that there is a possibility that the couple disagreed, discovering
that the child is not the father biologically since the AB blood group and the O blood group
only results in the A and B blood group. The child has the O blood group.
aa. What if the husband had type B blood?
The child might belong to the father since the child's blood group O can be derived from
parents with blood groups O and B

20. You arrive at another crime scene and observe the police breaking up a fight between two
men as a woman and her daughter watch and hysterically plead for them to stop. The woman's
husband screams that she has been cheating on him for years with this man, thus bringing the
paternity of their daughter into question. You ask them to volunteer samples for analysis. Again,
you send samples to the DNA lab for testing but use simple blood typing to promptly address the
husband's accusations. Using genetic information from a single locus can often result in
indeterminate results. Consequently, you decide to test the parties for both the ABO blood
antigen and MN systems. The MN blood system is another blood antigen system in the human
genome. Only two alleles at this locus are dominant, resulting in 3 genotypes for this gene
system: homozygous MM, homozygous NN, and heterozygous MN. This system would also
have three phenotypes: type M, MN, and N. Note that there is no recessive allele that can be
"hidden" in this system. Your tests yielded the following results.
Mother: O M Husband: B M

Offspring O MN Accused man: A N

bb. What would you then advise the police?
I would advise the police that there is a possibility that the man accused of cheating can be
the father of the daughter because, as per the test results, we can see that the offspring has
the O MN genotype in which the husband lacked the N allele in his blood system, and the
accused man has the N allele in his blood system
cc. What would you have advised the police if the results had been as follows?
I would advise the police that there is a possibility that the accused man can be the child's
father since the husband has the N allele, which the child lacks, but there is also a
possibility that the child did not inherit the N allele from the husband.

Mother: O M Husband: B MN
AB M
Offspring O M Accused man:

Remember, this type of data cannot prove fatherhood, but it can prove the lack of paternity ( that
is, someone is not the father of a specific child ).