Class XII Chapter 5 – Principles of inheritance and variations…Part II

Q.1. Explain the Inheritance of two genes with the help of a cross.
A cross made to study simultaneous inheritance of two pairs of Mendelian
factors of genes.

Law of independent Assortment – The law states that ‘when two pairs of
traits are combined in a hybrid, segregation of one pair of characters is
independent of the other pair of characters’.
In Dihybrid cross two new combinations, round green & wrinkled yellow
are formed due to independent assortment of traits for seed shape i.e
round, wrinkled and seed color
i.e , yellow and green.
The ratio of 9:3:3:1 can be derived as a combination series of 3 yellow: 1
green, with 3 round : 1 wrinkled.

This derivation can be written as follows: (3 Round : 1 Wrinkled) (3

Yellow : 1 Green) = 9 Round, Yellow : 3 Wrinkled, Yellow: 3 Round, Green :
1 Wrinkled, Green

Q 2. Who proposed the chromosomal theory of inheritance?

 Chromosome as well as gene both occurs in pair. The two alleles of a
gene pair are located on the same locus on homologous
chromosomes.
 Sutton and Boveri argued that the pairing and separation of a pair of
chromosomes would lead to segregation of a pair of factors (gene)
they carried.
 Sutton united the knowledge of chromosomal segregation with
Mendelian principles and called it the chromosomal theory of
inheritance.

Q 3. Define linkage and recombination.

 When two genes in a Dihybrid cross were situated on same
chromosome, the proportion of parental gene combination was much
higher than the non-parental type.
 Morgan attributed this due to the physical association or the linkage
of the two genes and coined the linkage to describe the physical
association of genes on same chromosome.
 The generation of non-parental gene combination during Dihybrid
cross is called recombination.
  When genes are located on same chromosome, they are tightly linked
and show very low recombination.

Q 4. Differentiate between linkage and crossing over.

Crossing over Linkage

1. It leads to separation of
1. keeps the genes together
linked genes

2. It involves exchange of
segments between non-sister 2. It involves individual
chromatics of homologous chromosomes.
chromosomes.

3. The number of linkage

3. The frequency of crossing group can never be more than
over can never exceed 50%. haploid Chromosome
number.

4. It increases variability by
forming new gene 4. It reduces variability.
combinations.

Q 5. Who observed the X body?

 Henking in 1891 observed a trace of specific nuclear structure in few
insects. He also observed that this specific nuclear structure is located
on 50% of sperms only. He called this X body.

Q 6. Define mutation? What is point mutation?

Mutation is a phenomenon which results in alternation of DNA sequence

and consequently results in the change in the genotype and phenotype of
an organism.
The mutations that arise due to due to change in single base pair of DNA
are called point mutation e.g Sickle cell anaemia.

Q 7. Explain the types of sex determination.

  In humans and other organisms XY types of sex determination is
seen but in some insects like Drosophila XO type of sex
determination is present.
 In both types of sex determination, male produce two different types
of gametes either with or without X chromosome or some with X
chromosome and some with Y chromosomes. Such types of sex
determination are called male heterogamety.
 In birds ZW type of sex determination is present., two different types
of gametes are produced by females in terms of sex chromosomes;
this type of sex determination is called female heterogamety.

Q 8. Explain Sex determination in human beings 

 XY type. Out of 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 pairs are exactly same in
male and female called autosomes.
 A pair of X chromosome is present in female and XY in male.
 During spermatogenesis, male produce two type of gametes
(sperms), 50% carries Y chromosome and remaining 50% contain X
chromosome.
 Female, produce only one kind of gamete (ovum) having X
chromosomes only.
 When sperm having Y chromosome fuses with the egg, the sex of
baby is male and when sperm carrying X chromosome fertilise the
egg, the sex of baby is female.
Q. 9. What is the importance of Pedigree Analysis
 The analysis of traits in several of generation of a family is called
the pedigree analysis.
 The inheritance of a particular trait is represented in family tree over
several generations. It is used to trace the inheritance of particular
trait, abnormality and disease in humans.

Q 10. What is mutagen? Give an example?

Ans. The physical or chemical agents that causes mutations are called
mutagen eg x-rays, CNBr etc.

Q 11. The human male never passes on the gene for haemophilia to his
son. Why is it so?
Ans. The gene for haemophilia is present on X chromosome. A male has
only one X chromosome which he receives from his mother and Y
chromosome from father. The human male passes the X chromosome to his
daughters but not to the male progeny (sons).

Q12. Differentiate between autosomes and sex chromosomes

Q 13. Mention four reasons why Drosophila was chosen by Morgan for
his experiments in genetics.
Ans. (i) Very short life cycle (2-weeks)
(ii) Can be grown easily in laboratory
(iii) In single mating produce a large no. of flies.
(iv) Male and female show many hereditary variations
(v) It has only 4 pairs of chromosomes which are distinct in size and
shape.

Q 14. Differentiate between point mutation and frameshift mutations.

Ans. Point Mutations : Arises due to change in a single base pair of DNA
e.g., sickle cell anaemia.
Frame shift mutations : Deletion or insertion/duplication/addition of one
or two bases in DNA.
Q 15. Give any two similarities between behavior of genes (Mendel’s
factor) during inheritance & chromosomes during cell division.
Ans. (i) In diploid cells, the chromosomes are found in pairs just like that of
Mendelian factors.
(ii)During meiosis, the chromosomes of different homologous pairs
are assorted independently into gametes at random showing parallelism
with Mendelian factors.

Q 16. The map distance in certain organism between genes A & B is 4

units, between B & C is units, & between C & D is 8 units which one of
these gene paves will show more recombination frequency? Give reason.

Ans. C& D will show maximum gene recombination because genes which

are more closely linked, frequency of recombination is least & vice versa.

Q 17. A red eyed male fruit fly is crossed with white eyed female fruit
fly. Work out the possible genotype & phenotype of F1 & F2 generation.
Comment on the pattern of inheritance in this cross?
Ans. When a red eyed is crossed with white eyed female fruitfly, offspring
will have both white eyed male & red eyed female in 1:1 ration in F1
generation. In F2 generation, 50% females will be red – eyed & 50% will be
white eyed, similarly, in males 50% will be red eyed & 50% will be white
eyed. This result indicates that in sex-linked genes, males transmit their
sex-linked characters to their grandson through their daughter; such type
of inheritance is called criss-cross inheritance –

Q 18. Study the given pedigree chart and answer the questions which

follow:
 
  
 
(a) Is the trait recessive or dominant?
(b) Is the trait sex-linked or autosomal?
(c) Give the genotypes of the parents in generation I and of their third and
fourth child in generation II.
Ans. (a) The trait is recessive. 
(b) The trait is autosomal.
(c)in generation I is Aa andAa. In generation II,  t h e
g e n o t y p e   of the third child is aa and that of the fourth child is Aa.

Q 19. A normal visioned woman whose father is color blind, married a

normal visioned man. What are the probablities of her sons or daughters
to be color blind. Explain with the help of Punnet square

Colourblindness is an X-linked recessive trait caused due to the defective

allele on the X chromosome.
In this problem,
Since the father is colourblind, his genotype would be XcY.
Although the woman has colourblind father, her vision is normal. This
implies that she is a carrier of the trait. Therefore, her genotype would be.
This carrier woman marries a man with a normal vision.
  X Y
X c
XX
c
XcY
Daughter: Son:
Carrier Colourblind
X XX XY
Daughter: Son: Normal
Normal
From the above Punnett square, we can deduce that 50% of the daughter
are carriers while 50% are normal. 50% of the sons are colourblind while
50% are normal. 
Q 20. Study the given pedigree chart and answer the questions that
follow:

a. Is the trait recessive or dominant?

b. Is the trait sex-linked or autosomal?
c. Give the genotypes of the parents shown in generation I and their
II child is shown in generation II and the first grandchild shown
in generation III.
Ans. 1. Dominant
b. Autosomal
c. Parents Mother -aa
Father – Aa
Third child – Aa
First grandchild – Aa

Q 21. Haemophilia is a sex-linked recessive disorder of humans.

The pedigree chart given below shows the inheritance of haemophilia in
one family. Study the pattern of inheritance and answer the questions
given.
1. Give all the possible genotype of the members 4, 5 and 6 in the
pedigree chart.
 2. A blood test shows that the individual 14 is a carrier of haemophilia.
The member numbered 15 has recently married the member
numbered 14. What is the probability that their first child will be a
haemophilic male?

Ans. Members Genotypes

4XhX
4XhX
6 XY

Q 22. A homozygous tall pea plant with green seeds is crossed with a
dwarf pea plant with yellow seeds.

1. What would be the phenotype and genotype of F1 generation?

2. Work out the phenotypic ratio of F2 generation with the help of a
Punnett square.
Ans.
1. Phenotypically all the plants of F1  generation would be tall with
green seeds. The genotype of all the would-be Tt Gg. i.e. hybrid tall
plant with green seeds.
2. For F2 generation

Q 23. Explain Morgan’s experiment of a female fruit fly having white

eyes and miniature wings with that of a wild type male.