The peppered moth Biston betularia is commonly found acros

The peppered moth ( Biston betularia ) is commonly found across England. This moth has two color morphs: dark and light. Color in peppered moth is controlled by a single gene. The allele for the dark color morph (D) is dominant to the allele for the light color morph (d). Heterozygotes are dark in color In 1848, the light color morph comprised 99% of the peppered moth population. A. What is the genotype of the light color morph moth? B. What does the ‘d’ allele do in the peppered moth? Be specific. C. What is the frequency of the recessive allele in 1848? Show work. D. What is the frequency of the dominant allele in 1848 ? Show work. In 1959, dark moths comprised 90% of the peppered moth population. E. What is the frequency of the dominant and recessive allele in 1959? Show work F. Based on these data, would an evolutionary biologist claim that the population of peppered moths had evolved from 1848 to 1959? Briefly explain your reasoning.

Solution

A. What is the genotype of the light color morph moth?

Since the light color gene is recessive, the genotype of the light color morph moth is “dd”

B. What does the ‘d’ allele do in the peppered moth? Be specific.

‘d’ allele is a recessive allele for the color of the morph, which is light color.

C. What is the frequency of the recessive allele in 1848? Show work.

Hardy-Weinberg equation:

p² + 2pq + q² = 1 and p + q = 1

p = frequency of the dominant allele in the population

q = frequency of the recessive allele in the population

p² = percentage of homozygous dominant individuals

q² = percentage of homozygous recessive individuals

2pq = percentage of heterozygous individuals

Since the light color morph comprised of 90% of the peppered moth population in 1848, q² = 0.9; we require q value, which is 0.9 = 0.948

D. What is the frequency of the dominant allele in 1848? Show work.

Since frequency of the recessive allele in the population in 1848 is q = 0.948; frequency of the dominant allele in the population will be 1-0.948 = 0.052

Note: As per the guidelines we can answer only 4 subparts of a single question. So I did not answer the remaining questions. Hope you can understand.