Q29 - Independent Assortment of Burrow Traits in Hybrid Mice

Theoretical A Real exam question - full text reproduced under IBO's CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

Linkage, Recombination & Genetic Mapping Quantitative Genetics, Heritability & Inbreeding

Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911) invented the field of behavioural genetics. Burrowing mouse (Juscelinomys) burrows have quantifiable features, including presence or absence of an escape tunnel (1) and length of the entrance tunnel (2). Species A and Species B were crossed. The first generation of the cross (F1), were back-crossed (BC) with Species A. In BC mice, there is no correlation between entrance tunnel length and the presence or absence of an escape tunnel.

Figure for Q29: Independent Assortment of Burrow Traits in Hybrid Mice

Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.

A. Entrance tunnel length is determined by a single locus (gene).

B. Alleles for the presence of an escape tunnel are dominant to those for absence of an escape tunnel.

C. F1 hybrids can be distinguished from Species A and Species B by looking at their burrows.

D. Genes determining entrance tunnel length and the presence or absence of escape tunnels are close to each other in the genome.

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Question reproduced from IBO 2017, Theoretical Exam A, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Official answer key & worked solutions