The ability to curl one's tongue into a U-shape is a genetic trait. Curlers always have at least one curler parent but noncurlers can have one or both parents who are curlers. Using C and c to symbolize the alleles that control this trait, what is the genotype of a noncurler?

Question

Biology

Isabell Todd

12 December, 10:22

The ability to curl one's tongue into a U-shape is a genetic trait. Curlers always have at least one curler parent but noncurlers can have one or both parents who are curlers. Using C and c to symbolize the alleles that control this trait, what is the genotype of a noncurler?

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Wyatt Marsh · Answer 1

A noncurler has a genotype cc.

Explanation:

If curlers always have at least one curler parent, it is possible being "curler" will be related to a dominant allele, in this example, "C". So, being "noncurler" could be a recessive trait. Noncurler can have one or both parents who are curlers, and this is concordant with a recessive inheritance if both parents are heterozygous (Cc) (with a probability of 25% of being "noncurler"). Also, it is possible if one parent is heterozygous and the other is homozygous for c (Cc x cc), this with a probability of 50% ob being "noncurler".

The Punnett square shows this clearly.