Understanding meiosis for haploid organisms.

Suppose that meiosis occurs in the transient diploid stage of the cycle of a haploid organism of chromosome number "n". What is the probability that an individual haploid resulting from the meiotic division will have a complete parental set of centromeres (that is, a set all from one parent or all from the other parent)?

Understanding Mendelian analysis and heredity.

Holstein cattle are normally black and white. A superb black and white bull, Nick, was purchased by a farmer for $100 000. The progeny sired by Nick were all normal in appearance. However, certain pairs of his progeny, when interbred, produced red and white progeny at a frequency of about 25 percent. Nick was soon removed from the stud lists of the Holstein breeders. Explain why, using symbols.

Understanding Mendelian heredity.

Maple syrup urine disease is a rare inborn error of metabolism. It derives its name from the odor of the urine of affected individuals. If untreated, affected children die soon after birth. The disease tends to recur in the same family, but the parents of the affected individuals are always normal. What does this information suggest about the transmission of the disease: is it dominant or recessive?

Understanding Mendelian heredity.

Huntington's chorea is a rare, fatal disease that usually develops in middle age. It is caused by a dominant allele. A phenotypically normal man in his early twenties learns that his father has developed Huntington's chorea. (a) What is the probability that he will himself develop the symptoms later on? (b) What is the probability that his son will develop the symptoms in later life?

Understanding Mendelian genetic heredity.

When a pea plant of genotype Aa Bb produces gametes, what proportion will be Ab? (Assume that the two genes are independent) (a) 3/4 (b) 1/2 (c) 9/16 (d) none (e) 1/4