In cats, black fur color is caused by an X-linked allele; the other allele at this locus causes
orange color. The heterozygote is tortoiseshell. What kinds of offspring would you expect from
the cross of a black female and an orange male?
A) tortoiseshell females; tortoiseshell males
B) black females; orange males
C) orange females; orange males
D) tortoiseshell females; black males
E) orange females; black males

tortoiseshell females; black males

Red-green color blindness is a sex-linked recessive trait in humans. Two people with normal
color vision have a color-blind son. What are the genotypes of the parents?
A) XnXn and XnY
B) XnXn and XNY
C) XNXN and XnY
D) XNXN and XNY
E) XNXn and XNY

XNXn and XNY

Cinnabar eyes is a sex-linked recessive characteristic in fruit flies. If a female having cinnabar
eyes is crossed with a wild-type male, what percentage of the F1 males will have cinnabar eyes?
A) 0%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%
E) 100%

100%

Normally, only female cats have the tortoiseshell phenotype because
A) the males die during embryonic development.
B) a male inherits only one allele of the X-linked gene controlling hair color.
C) the Y chromosome has a gene blocking orange coloration.
D) only males can have Barr bodies.
E) multiple crossovers on the Y chromosome prevent orange pigment production.

a male inherits only one allele of the X-linked gene controlling hair color.

Sex determination in mammals is due to the SRY region of the Y chromosome. An abnormality of this region could allow which of the following to have a male phenotype?
A) Turner syndrome, 45, X
B) translocation of SRY to an autosome of a 46, XX individual
C) a person with an extra X chromosome
D) a person with one normal and one shortened (deleted) X
E) Down syndrome, 46, XX

translocation of SRY to an autosome of a 46, XX individual

In humans, clear gender differentiation occurs not at fertilization, but after the second month
of gestation. What is the first event of this differentiation?
A) formation of testosterone in male embryos
B) formation of estrogens in female embryos
C) anatomical differentiation of a penis in male embryos
D) activation of SRY in male embryos and masculinization of the gonads
E) activation of SRY in females and feminization of the gonads

activation of SRY in male embryos and masculinization of the gonads

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a serious condition caused by a recessive allele of a gene on
the human X chromosome. The patients have muscles that weaken over time because they have
absent or decreased dystrophin, a muscle protein. They rarely live past their 20s. How likely is it
for a woman to have this condition?
A) Women can never have this condition.
B) One-half of the daughters of an affected man would have this condition.
C) One-fourth of the daughters of an affected father and a carrier mother could have this
condition.
D) Very rarely: it is rare that an affected male would mate with a carrier female.
E) Only if a woman is XXX could she have this condition.

Very rarely: it is rare that an affected male would mate with a carrier female.

All female mammals have one active X chromosome per cell instead of two. What causes
this?
A) activation of the XIST gene on the X chromosome that will become the Barr body
B) activation of the BARR gene on one X chromosome, which then becomes inactive
C) crossing over between the XIST gene on one X chromosome and a related gene on an
autosome
D) inactivation of the XIST gene on the X chromosome derived from the male parent
E) attachment of methyl (CH3) groups to the X chromosome that will remain active

activation of the XIST gene on the X chromosome that will become the Barr body

Which of the following statements is true of linkage?
A) The closer two genes are on a chromosome, the lower the probability that a crossover will
occur between them.
B) The observed frequency of recombination of two genes that are far apart from each other has
a maximum value of 100%.
C) All of the traits that Mendel studied–seed color, pod shape, flower color, and others–are due
to genes linked on the same chromosome.
D) Linked genes are found on different chromosomes.
E) Crossing over occurs during prophase II of meiosis.

The closer two genes are on a chromosome, the lower the probability that a crossover will
occur between them.

How would one explain a testcross involving F1 dihybrid flies in which more parental-type
offspring than recombinant-type offspring are produced?
A) The two genes are closely linked on the same chromosome.
B) The two genes are linked but on different chromosomes.
C) Recombination did not occur in the cell during meiosis.
D) The testcross was improperly performed.
E) Both of the characters are controlled by more than one gene.

The two genes are closely linked on the same chromosome.

What does a frequency of recombination of 50% indicate?
A) The two genes are likely to be located on different chromosomes.
B) All of the offspring have combinations of traits that match one of the two parents.
C) The genes are located on sex chromosomes.
D) Abnormal meiosis has occurred.
E) Independent assortment is hindered.

The two genes are likely to be located on different chromosomes.

Three genes (A, B, and C) at three loci are being mapped in a particular species. Each gene
has two alleles, one of which results in a phenotype that is markedly different from the wild type.
The unusual allele of gene A is inherited with the unusual allele of gene B or C about 50% of the
time. However, the unusual alleles of genes B and C are inherited together 14.4% of the time.
Which of the following describes what is happening?
A) The three genes are showing independent assortment.
B) The three genes are linked.
C) Gene A is linked but genes B and C are not.
D) Gene A is assorting independently of genes B and C, which are linked.
E) Gene A is located 14.4 map units from genes B and C.

Gene A is assorting independently of genes B and C, which are linked.

What is one map unit equivalent to?
A) the physical distance between two linked genes
B) 1% frequency of recombination between two genes
C) 1 nanometer of distance between two genes
D) the distance between a pair of homologous chromosomes
E) the recombination frequency between two genes assorting independently

1% frequency of recombination between two genes

Recombination between linked genes comes about for what reason?
A) Mutation on one homolog is different from that on the other homolog.
B) Independent assortment sometimes fails because Mendel had not calculated appropriately.
C) When genes are linked they always "travel" together at anaphase.
D) Crossovers between these genes result in chromosomal exchange.
E) Nonrecombinant chromosomes break and then re-join with one another.

Crossovers between these genes result in chromosomal exchange.

Why does recombination between linked genes continue to occur?
A) Recombination is a requirement for independent assortment.
B) Recombination must occur or genes will not assort independently.
C) New allele combinations are acted upon by natural selection.
D) The forces on the cell during meiosis II always result in recombination.
E) Without recombination there would be an insufficient number of gametes.

New allele combinations are acted upon by natural selection.

Map units on a linkage map cannot be relied upon to calculate physical distances on a
chromosome for which of the following reasons?
A) The frequency of crossing over varies along the length of the chromosome.
B) The relationship between recombination frequency and map units is different in every
individual.
C) Physical distances between genes change during the course of the cell cycle.
D) The gene order on the chromosomes is slightly different in every individual.
E) Linkage map distances are identical between males and females.

The frequency of crossing over varies along the length of the chromosome.

What is the reason that closely linked genes are typically inherited together?
A) The likelihood of a crossover event between these two genes is low.
B) The number of genes in a cell is greater than the number of chromosomes.
C) Chromosomes are unbreakable.
D) Alleles are paired together during meiosis.
E) Genes align that way during metaphase I of meiosis.

The likelihood of a crossover event between these two genes is low.

Sturtevant provided genetic evidence for the existence of four pairs of chromosomes in
Drosophila in which of these ways?
A) There are four major functional classes of genes in Drosophila.
B) Drosophila genes cluster into four distinct groups of linked genes.
C) The overall number of genes in Drosophila is a multiple of four.
D) The entire Drosophila genome has approximately 400 map units.
E) Drosophila genes have, on average, four different alleles.

Drosophila genes cluster into four distinct groups of linked genes.

If cell X enters meiosis, and nondisjunction of one chromosome occurs in one of its daughter
cells during meiosis II, what will be the result at the completion of meiosis?
A) All the gametes descended from cell X will be diploid.
B) Half of the gametes descended from cell X will be n + 1, and half will be n - 1.
C) One-fourth of the gametes descended from cell X will be n + 1, 1/4 will be n - 1, and 1/2 will
be n.
D) There will be three extra gametes.
E) Two of the four gametes descended from cell X will be haploid, and two will be diploid.

One-fourth of the gametes descended from cell X will be n + 1, 1/4 will be n - 1, and 1/2 will
be n.

One possible result of chromosomal breakage is for a fragment to join a nonhomologous
chromosome. What is this alteration called?
A) deletion
B) transversion
C) inversion
D) translocation
E) duplication

translocation

A nonreciprocal crossover causes which of the following products?
A) deletion only
B) duplication only
C) nondisjunction
D) deletion and duplication
E) duplication and nondisjunction

deletion and duplication

Of the following human aneuploidies, which is the one that generally has the most severe
impact on the health of the individual?
A) 47, +21
B) 47, XXY
C) 47, XXX
D) 47, XYY
E) 45, X

47, +21

A phenotypically normal prospective couple seeks genetic counseling because the man
knows that he has a translocation of a portion of his chromosome 4 that has been exchanged with
a portion of his chromosome 12. Although he is normal because his translocation is balanced, he
and his wife want to know the probability that his sperm will be abnormal. What is your
prognosis regarding his sperm?
A) One-fourth will be normal, 1/4 will have the translocation, and 1/2 will have duplications and deletions.
B) All will carry the same translocation as the father.
C) None will carry the translocation because abnormal sperm will die.
D) His sperm will be sterile and the couple might consider adoption.
E) One-half will be normal and the rest will have the father's translocation.

One-fourth will be normal, 1/4 will have the translocation, and 1/2 will have duplications and deletions.

Abnormal chromosomes are frequently found in malignant tumors. Errors such as
translocations may place a gene in close proximity to different control regions. Which of the
following might then occur to make the cancer worse?
A) an increase in nondisjunction
B) expression of inappropriate gene products
C) a decrease in mitotic frequency
D) death of the cancer cells in the tumor
E) sensitivity of the immune system

expression of inappropriate gene products

An inversion in a human chromosome often results in no demonstrable phenotypic effect in
the individual. What else may occur?
A) There may be deletions later in life.
B) Some abnormal gametes may be formed.
C) There is an increased frequency of mutation.
D) All inverted chromosomes are deleted.
E) The individual is more likely to get cancer.

Some abnormal gametes may be formed.

What is the source of the extra chromosome 21 in an individual with Down syndrome?
A) nondisjunction in the mother only
B) nondisjunction in the father only
C) duplication of the chromosome
D) nondisjunction or translocation in either parent
E) It is impossible to detect with current technology.

nondisjunction or translocation in either parent

Down syndrome has a frequency in the U.S. population of ~1/700 live births. In which of the
following groups would you expect this frequency to be significantly higher?
A) people in Latin or South America
B) the Inuit and other peoples in very cold habitats
C) people living in equatorial areas of the world
D) very small population groups
E) No groups have such higher frequency.

No groups have such higher frequency.

A couple has a child with Down syndrome. The mother is 39 years old at the time of
delivery. Which of the following is the most probable cause of the child's condition?
A) The woman inherited this tendency from her parents.
B) One member of the couple carried a translocation.
C) One member of the couple underwent nondisjunction in somatic cell production.
D) One member of the couple underwent nondisjunction in gamete production.
E) The mother had a chromosomal duplication.

One member of the couple underwent nondisjunction in gamete production.

What is a syndrome?
A) a characteristic facial appearance
B) a group of traits, all of which must be present if an aneuploidy is to be diagnosed
C) a group of traits typically found in conjunction with a particular chromosomal aberration or
gene mutation
D) a characteristic trait usually given the discoverer's name
E) a characteristic that only appears in conjunction with one specific aneuploidy

a group of traits typically found in conjunction with a particular chromosomal aberration or
gene mutation

Which of the following is known as a Philadelphia chromosome?
A) a human chromosome 22 that has had a specific translocation
B) a human chromosome 9 that is found only in one type of cancer
C) an animal chromosome found primarily in the mid-Atlantic area of the United States
D) an imprinted chromosome that always comes from the mother
E) a chromosome found not in the nucleus but in mitochondria

a human chromosome 22 that has had a specific translocation

Which of the following is true of aneuploidies in general?
A) A monosomy is more frequent than a trisomy.
B) 45, X is the only known human live-born monosomy.
C) Some human aneuploidies have selective advantage in some environments.
D) Of all human aneuploidies, only Down syndrome is associated with mental retardation.
E) An aneuploidy resulting in the deletion of a chromosome segment is less serious than a

45, X is the only known human live-born monosomy.

A woman is found to have 47 chromosomes, including three X chromosomes. Which of the
following describes her expected phenotype?
A) masculine characteristics such as facial hair
B) enlarged genital structures
C) excessive emotional instability
D) healthy female of slightly above-average height
E) sterile female

healthy female of slightly above-average height