Epistasis (Lect 16 & 17)
Epistasis (Lect 16 & 17)
Epistasis (Lect 16 & 17)
Any time two different genes contribute to a single phenotype, those genes are said to be epistatic
Walnut Comb
Wyandotte x Brahma NEW PHENOTYPE
F1 Progeny = RrPp
Attest 1 rose comb allele + 1 Pea comb allele required Walnut allele
F2 Generation by crossing F1 x F1 382 purple-flowered & 269 white-flowered plants (9.4 : 6.6 or 9:7)
Bateson (1909) one “allelomorphic pair”(pair of gene allele) masks the effect of the allele of another gene
2 recessive alleles at one flower locus could mask the effect of the allele of other flower locus
According to Bateson theory, Flower with cc genotype will be white ; no matter what is the genotype at locus P
Flower with pp genotype will be white ; no matter what is the genotype at locus C
Masking action of one gene by another Epistasis
Dooner et al. (1991) reported 2 genes regulate the color of flower by a pigment ‘Anthocyanin’
P
C
In peas, anthocyanin production is 2 step phenomenon, gene C involve in 1st step & gene P in 2nd step
if any one of these gene is non-functional the color flower will be white OR
Dominant C & P encodes purple, hence, any one or both alleles are recessive then the color of flower WHITE
Female Gametes
CP Cp cP cp
Malvidin synthesis controlled by ‘K’ gene, yet production of pigment can be suppressed by gene ‘D’ present at another locus
If, D allele is dominant to K allele, plant with genotype KkDd will not produce malvidin because of presence of ‘D’
If 2 plants with genotype KkDd are crossed, what is the ratio of offspring?
Female Gametes
KD Kd kD kd
Either an A allele or a B allele produces color in the kernel, but a lack of either allele will produce a white kernel that is
devoid of color
A dihybrid cross between two plants with genotype AaBb (Table next Page)
Female Gametes
AB Ab aB ab
Only the double homozygous recessive genotype produces a phenotype with no color, and the resulting phenotypic
ratio of color to non-color is 15:1
So, if wheat kernel color is controlled by genes A and B, then A is epistatic to allele B or allele b, and B is epistatic
to allele A or allele a
Coat Color in Horses
One gene can interacts with another to modify—but not mask—a phenotype
The dominant allele E produces black pigmented coat, the recessive allele e, red pigmented coat
There are many variants of red shade in horse’s coat color due to the action of epistatic modifier genes
One such modifier gene is called cream dilution gene with two alleles: CCr and C
CCr allele is semi-dominant; dilutes red to yellow in the heterozygous state and red to pale cream in the homozygous
state
Horses with genotype eeCC are chestnut colored, and have reddish-brown coats, tails, and manes
Horses with one copy of the CCR allele (genotype eeCCCR) are palomino, they have a gold coat, white mane and tail
Horses with two copies of the CCR allele (genotype ee CCRCCR) are cremello (i.e., white or cream colored)
Examples of digenic epistatic ratio
Ratio Description Name(s) of Relationship
(Used by Some Authors)