Genetics Cross: Predicting Offspring Traits

Understanding Genetics Cross: Predicting Offspring Traits

When it comes to genetics and predicting offspring traits, it is important to consider the dominant and recessive traits of the parents. In the case of guinea pigs, black fur is the dominant trait over white fur. This means that if a guinea pig has at least one black fur allele, it will display black fur.

In the given scenario, the white guinea pig is homozygous for white fur, meaning it has two white fur alleles. On the other hand, the other guinea pig is heterozygous for black fur, which means it has one black fur allele and one white fur allele.

When these two guinea pigs mate, the Punnett square can be used to predict the possible combinations of alleles and the resulting offspring traits. In this case, the majority of the offspring are expected to have black fur due to the dominance of the black fur allele.

Based on the Punnett square calculations, 16 out of 20 offspring are predicted to have black fur, while 4 out of 20 are predicted to have white fur. This distribution aligns with the expected outcomes of genetic crosses involving dominant and recessive traits.

Overall, understanding the principles of dominant and recessive traits in genetics can help predict the traits of offspring in a cross. By analyzing the alleles of the parents and using tools like the Punnett square, it is possible to make educated predictions about the traits that will be passed on to the next generation.