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In Drosophila melanogaster, two independently assorting loci thataffect wing sha

ID: 4970 • Letter: I

Question

In Drosophila melanogaster, two independently assorting loci thataffect wing shape are known. Flies homozygous for therecessive be mutant allele at one locus (and otherwise wild type)have bent wings. Flies homozygous for the recessive ap mutantallele have no wings at all, regardless of their genotype at otherloci. All other genotypes give normal wings. If a truebreeding bent winged fly is crossed with a fly with no wings thatis homozygous for the normal be+ allele and the apallele, what proportion of the F2 should have no wings?The F2s are produced by crossing F1 XF1. (Hint, be sure to draw out the cross.) Do you seeepistasis here?

Explanation / Answer

a true breeding bent winged fly    x     a fly with no wings that is homozygous for the                 

                                                                    normal be+ allele and the ap allele

be be    ap+ ap +                                                    be+be+ ap ap

                                be   ap+                             be+ap-----------------gametes

                                              

                                               be+be    ap+   ap             winged---------------F1

                       be+ be    ap+   ap               x                         be+ be    ap+  ap             

gametes

be+  ap+  

be+   ap

be   ap+  

be      ap

gametes

be+   ap+  

be+    ap

be   ap+  

be      ap

be+   ap+  

be+   ap+

be+   ap+  

be+   ap+

be+    ap

be+   ap+

   be   ap+  

be+   ap+

be      ap

be+    ap

be+   ap+

be+    ap

be+    ap

be+    ap

be+    ap

be   ap+  

be+ ap

be      ap

be   ap+  

be+   ap+

be   ap+  

be+    ap

be  

gametes

be+   ap+  

be+    ap

be   ap+  

be      ap

be+   ap+  

be+   ap+

be+   ap+  

be+   ap+

be+    ap

be+   ap+

   be   ap+  

be+   ap+

be      ap

be+    ap

be+   ap+

be+    ap

be+    ap

be+    ap

be+    ap

be   ap+  

be+ ap

be      ap

be   ap+  

be+   ap+

be   ap+  

be+    ap

be