In the nematode Coenorhobditis elegans there are two mutatio

In the nematode, Coenorhobditis elegans, there are two mutations, dumpy (dmp) and uncoordinated (unc). These animals have two sexes, male and hermaphrodite. Hermaphrodites will reproduce by self-fertilization. A heterozygous hermaphrodite dmp^* dmp unc^* unc is allowed to self-fertilize and her offspring are examined. The data are shown in Table 1 Do these two genes appear to assort independently? Calculate a x^2 value to answer this question. Justify your answer. Assort independently (circle correct answer) Yes No Justification _______ ______ _____ ______

Solution

phenotype      observed(O)           expected(E)        expected-observed (E-O )          (O-E)^2/E

                         864                    864.54                0.54                                       0.27

                        339                       339.21                0.21                                       0.11

                        311                     311.19                0.19                                       0.09

                        86                         86.05                0.05                                        0.02

                   =>1600                                                                                    x^2=0.42

no the genes dont assortindependantly as expected alements are not in the ratio1:1:1:1 .In order to assort independently they shouldbe in the above ratio which doesnt really happen so they cannot be independant.