you are studying a gene that controls ossicone horn length i

you are studying a gene that controls ossicone (horn) length in giraffes. The wild type long-ossicone allele (L) is dominant to the mutant short-ossicone (l) allele. However, the L allele is only 60% penetrant. You cross two heterozygous giraffes. What proportion of offspring would you expect to exhibit the short ossicone phenotype? Assume the penetrance of L applies equally to both homozygotes and heterozygotes.

*Please explain your answer, so I understand how to answer problems like this.*

Solution

Answer: A gene that controls ossicone (horn) length in giraffes. The wild type long-ossicone allele (L) is dominant to the mutant short-ossicone (l) allele. the L allele is only 60% penetrant. You cross two heterozygous giraffes. The proportion of offspring would you expect to exhibit the short ossicone phenotype the penetrance of L applies equally to both homozygotes and heterozygotes is -0.55.