Name: ________________________

Dihybrid crosses Q and A Class: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Time: 41 minutes

Marks: 36 marks

Comments:

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 In fruit flies, the allele for grey body, G, is dominant to the allele for ebony body, g, and the allele
1. for normal wings, N, is dominant to the allele for vestigial wings, n. Vestigial-winged flies,
heterozygous for grey body colour, were crossed with ebony-bodied flies, heterozygous for
normal wings.

Complete the genetic diagram to show the genotypes and phenotypes in this cross.

Parental phenotypes Grey body, vestigial wings Ebony body, normal wings

Parental genotypes _______________ _______________

Gamete genotypes _______________ _______________

Offspring genotypes _____________________________________________________

Offspring phenotypes ____________________________________________________

(Total 4 marks)

Guinea pigs are small mammals, often kept as pets.

2. Guinea pigs may have short hair or long hair.
The colour of the hair can be black or white.

A breeder has two guinea pigs with short, black hair.

The male guinea pig is homozygous for hair length, but heterozygous for hair colour. The female
guinea pig is heterozygous for hair length, but homozygous

for hair colour.

The breeder mates the guinea pigs several times.

All of the offspring have short, black hair.

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(a) Choose suitable symbols to represent the alleles for hair length and hair colour.

Your symbols should show which alleles are dominant and which alleles are recessive.

Allele for short hair = ______________ Allele for long hair = ______________

Allele for black hair = ______________ Allele for white hair = ______________
(1)

(b) Complete the genetic diagram to explain the breeder’s results.

Use the symbols from your answer to question (a).

(3)

The breeder then crosses the same female guinea pig with a different male.
This male has long, white hair. After several crosses, 11 short, black-haired offspring and 5 long,
black-haired offspring are produced. The breeder expected a 1:1 ratio of these phenotypes.

The breeder analyses the results using a χ2 test.

(c) Why does the breeder use a χ2 test, and not use standard errors and 95% confidence
limits?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

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(d) A statistical test helps to determine the probability of a null hypothesis being correct.

State a suitable null hypothesis for this investigation.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) The calculated value of χ2 for this investigation is χ2 = 2.25

The table gives probability values for different values of χ2.

Probability value
Degrees of
freedom
0.99 0.95 0.10 0.05 0.01 0.001

1 0.0002 0.0039 2.71 3.84 6.63 10.83

2 0.020 0.103 4.61 5.99 9.21 13.82

3 0.115 0.352 6.25 7.81 11.34 16.27

4 0.297 0.711 7.78 9.49 13.28 18.47

Explain if the observed results fit the expected 1:1 ratio.

Use the calculated value of χ2 = 2.25 and data from the table.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

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 (f) The breeder has some male and female guinea pigs with long, white hair.

The breeder also has many guinea pigs with short, black hair. Some of these guinea pigs
may be homozygous for both conditions.

The breeder wishes to produce a stock of guinea pigs with short, black hair, all of which are
homozygous for both conditions.

Describe how the breeder could do this.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 14 marks)

A breeder crossed a black male cat with a black female cat on a number of occasions. The
3. female cat produced 8 black kittens and 4 white kittens.

(a) (i) Explain the evidence that the allele for white fur is recessive.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Predict the likely ratio of colours of kittens born to a cross between this black male
and a white female.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

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(b) The gene controlling coat colour has three alleles. The allele B gives black fur, the allele b
gives chocolate fur and the allele bi gives cinnamon fur.

• Allele B is dominant to both allele b and bi.

• Allele b is dominant to allele bi.

(i) Complete the table to show the phenotypes of cats with each of the genotypes
shown.

Genotype Phenotype

Bbi

bbi

Bb

(1)

(ii) A chocolate male was crossed several times with a black female.

They produced

• 11 black kittens

• 2 chocolate kittens

• 5 cinnamon kittens.

Using the symbols in part (b), complete the genetic diagram to show the results of
this cross.

Parental phenotypes Chocolate male Black female

Parental genotypes ___________ ___________

Gametes ___________ ___________

Offspring genotypes ________ ________ ________

Offspring phenotypes Black Chocolate Cinnamon

(3)

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 (iii) The breeder had expected equal numbers of chocolate and cinnamon kittens from
the cross between the chocolate male and black female. Explain why the actual
numbers were different from those expected.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iv) The breeder wanted to produce a population of cats that would all have chocolate fur.
Is this possible? Explain your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

In a breed of cattle the H allele for the hornless condition is dominant to the h allele for the
4.
horned condition. In the same breed of cattle the two alleles CR (red) and CW (white) control coat
colour. When red cattle were crossed with white cattle all the offspring were roan. Roan cattle
have a mixture of red and white hairs.

(a) Explain what is meant by a dominant allele.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Name the relationship between the two alleles that control coat colour.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(c) Horned, roan cattle were crossed with white cattle heterozygous for the hornless condition.
Compete the genetic diagram to show the ratio of offspring phenotypes you would expect.

Parental phenotypes Horned, roan × hornless, white

Parental genotypes

Gametes

Offspring genotypes

Offspring phenotypes

Ratio of offspring
phenotypes
(4)

(d) The semen of prize dairy bulls may be collected for in vitro fertilisation. The sperms in the
semen can be separated so that all the calves produced are of the same sex. The two
kinds of sperms differ by about 3% in DNA content.

(i) Explain what causes the sperms of one kind to have 3% more DNA than sperms of
the other kind.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Suggest one reason why farmers would want the calves to be all of the same sex.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

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Mark schemes
Parental genotypes: Gg nn gg Nn ;
1. Gamete genotypes Gn gn gN gn ;

gN gn

Gn Gg Nn Gg nn
Grey, normal Grey, vestigial

gn gg Nn gg nn
Ebony, normal Ebony, vestigial

All offspring genotypes correct;

All offspring genotypes correctly derived;

[4]

(a) Short = S Long = s

2.
Black = B White = b;
Accept any pairs of upper and lower case letters.
1

(b) P genotypes: SSBb SsBB;

g: SB Sb SB sB;

Offspring

genotypes: SSBB SsBB SSBb SsBb;

Accept letters corresponding to those defined in (a)
Allow gametes correct for candidate’s P genotypes
Allow offspring genotypes correct for candidate’s
gametes
3

(c) χ2 tests significance of difference between observed and expected;

SE & 95% CL tests significance of difference between 2 means;

2

(d) There is no significant difference between observed and expected

OR
Any difference between observed and expected is due to chance;
1

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 (e) Yes, because:

1. With 1 degree of freedom;

2. Closest to χ2 = 2.25 is χ2 = 2.71 for P = 0.10 / P > 0.05;

or χ2 < critical value of 3.84;

3. So expect this divergence from expected result due to chance

or

So this divergence from expected result is not significant (so accept null hypothesis);
3

(f) 1. Cross male short black x female long white

and

Cross female short black x male long white;

2. If all offspring are short black, repeat cross several times to

confirm and use the short black parents to establish breeding
stock;

3. If some of different offspring types (long black and/or short

white and/or long white), reject short black parents;

4. Then cross suitable short blacks (SSBB) together to build up

stock;
4
[14]

(a) (i) 1. Parents are heterozygous;

3.
Accept carriers / carries white allele

2. Kittens receive white allele from parents / black cat;

1 max

(ii) 1:1;
Answer must be expressed as a ratio that could be reduced to 1 : 1
1

(b) (i) Black,

Chocolate,
Black;
All three correct for the mark
1

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 (ii) Parental phenotypes Chocolate male Black female

1. Parental genotypes bbi Bbi;

Both genotypes needed for the mark.

1

2. Parental gametes b bi B bi;

Allow credit if gametes are correctly derived from candidate’s

incorrect parental genotypes.
1

3. Offspring genotypes Bb, Bbi bbi bibi;

Genotype(s) must be with correct phenotype.

Allow credit if symbols other than B / b / bi have been used
correctly.
Ignore genetic diagrams unless clearly annotated.
1

Offspring phenotypes Black Chocolate cinnamon;

(iii) 1. Offspring ratios are a probability / not fixed / arise by chance /

2. gametes may not be produced in equal numbers /

3. fertilisation / fusion of gametes is random /

4. small sample;
1

(iv) 1. Possible if parents homozygous / bb;

2. Don’t know genotype of chocolate cat / chocolate cat could be homo- or

heterozygous / chocolate cat could be bb or bbi;

3. Two chocolate cats could give cinnamon kittens;

2 max
[9]

(a) is always expressed(in the phenotype) / produces (functional) proteins;

4. 1

(b) codominance;
1

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 R w w w
(c) Parental geneotypes - hhC C , HhC C ;

Gametes-
R w R w w w w w
Offspring geneotypes - HhC C , hhC C , HhC C , hhC C ;
Offspring pheneotypes - hornless horned hornless horned
roan roan white white
Ratio of offspring - 1 1 1 1;
4

(d) (i) sperm(with more DNA) have X chromosome;

X is larger / has more genes than Y;
2

(ii) female for milk / males for meat / male or female for breeding;
1
[9]

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Examiner reports
Many candidates from across the ability range were able to complete the genetic diagram and
1. gain full marks. Some did not realise the dihybrid nature of the cross and some did not always
make clear the relationship between offspring genotypes and phenotypes.

(a) Many of the explanations given in part (i) were very superficial, for example “fewer white
3. kittens so it must be recessive”. References to genotypes were required, although the term
carrier was accepted as synonymous with heterozygote. In part (ii), it was evident that
some candidates clearly did not understand the term ratio. An understanding of ratios is a
mathematical requirement stated in section 3.9 of the specification.

(b) Most candidates gained the mark for part (i) but part (ii) proved more challenging. A
common mistake, perhaps because the sex of the parent cats had been stated, was to
assume that the inheritance of this fur colour was sex-linked. Another common error was to
miss out the Bbi genotype for the black offspring. There were many good answers to part
(iii) although few candidates commented that gametes are not always produced in equal
numbers, as the Mendelian ratio assumes, or that a small sample was involved. In part (iv),
many candidates assumed that they were only expected to suggest a single cross that
would produce all chocolate cats, rather than produce a self-sustaining population.
Nevertheless, a pleasing number thought through the problem carefully with many
mentioning all the marking points in their answers.

Generally this question was well answered with most candidates obtaining at least five marks.
4. However, part (d)(i) proved difficult for a significant number of candidates.

(a) This caused few problems with the vast majority of candidates correctly explaining that a
dominant allele is always expressed in the phenotype or codes for a functional protein.

(b) Most candidates correctly named the relationship between the two alleles as codominance.
A common incorrect response was epistasis.

(c) The majority of candidates had little difficulty completing the genetic diagram to obtain all
four marks. However, a number of candidates failed to gain a mark for the correct ratio of
offspring phenotypes. Candidates failing to gain any marks often attempted a monohybrid
cross.

(d) (i) Only better candidates gained both marks. Common incorrect responses referred to
mutations or to sperm being XX or XY.

(ii) Although many candidates did refer to obtaining milk or meat, not all candidates
linked this to the gender of the cattle. It was disappointing to find a significant number
of A level biologists referring to ‘milk from bulls’.

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