Alien Genetics

Name

Points
Possible

MS-LS3-2

Date

Hr
Record the genotypes and phenotypes of your models in the chart below. Refer to the Table of Traits for help.

Parent 1
Trait

Genotype

Example:
Ears

Pp

Phenotype
Pointy

Parent 2
Genotype
Pp

Phenotype
Pointy

Offspring 1
Genotype
PP

Phenotype
Pointy

Offspring 2
Genotype
pp

Phenotype
Round

Eyes
Ears
Nose
Head
Antennae
Neck
Trunk
Fingers
Legs
Mouth
Questions to consider and discuss. Refer to your charts and your models to answer these questions:
1. Are there traits (phenotypes) that both parents have but one offspring doesn't have? Explain.
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2. Are there traits that both parents have but neither offspring has? Explain.
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3. Are there traits that neither parent has but one offspring has? Explain.
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4. Are there traits that neither parent has but both offspring have? Explain

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5. What are some results that surprise you or confuse you?

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6. Were the offspring that your group produced the only offspring possible from these parents? Explain.

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7. What other genotypes/phenotypes were possible in the offspring? Fill in the chart to show these possibilities

Possible 1

Possible 2

Trait

Genotype

Phenotype

Genotype

Phenotype

Example:
Ears

Pp

Pointy

Pp

Pointy

Eyes
Ears Nose
Head
Antennae
Neck
Trunk
Fingers
Legs
Mouth
Group Members:
Parent 1 __________________________________________________________
Parent 2 __________________________________________________________
Offspring 1 _______________________________________________________
Offspring 2 _______________________________________________________

Punnett Squares
A Punnett square is a tool for determining the odds that a particular genotype or phenotype will result from 2 individuals reproducing sexually (remember, in asexual reproduction all the "offspring" are identical to the
"parent").
As an example, look at what would happen if an alien male with the genotype PP (both dominant for pointy
ears) mates with a female with the genotype PP. All sperm that the male produces will have the dominant "P"
gene and all eggs produced by the female will have the dominant "P" gene. Inside the boxes are the possible
combinations that might result when the male and female sex cells get together through fertilization:
Female
P

Surprise! ALL the offspring, 4/4, will have a

PP

PP

PP

PP

Male

genotype PP and a phenotype of pointy

ears. It is not possible for these two aliens to
produce offspring with round ears. Ever.
(Unless there is some sort of mutation, which
we will discuss later).

Female

Male

Now pick one trait from your chart where each

parent has a different genotype and use a Punnett
square to determine the possible outcomes.
Use the bottom to write the ratios (out of 4 possible outcomes) for each possible genotype and
each possible phenotype.

Genotypes:

(XX)

(Xx)

(xx)

______ ______ ______

(Convert the ratios to decimals)

Phenotypes:

Dominant

Recessive

______

______

(Convert the ratios to decimals)

What are the Odds?

On the simplest level, the Punnett square allows us to state the odds that a particular genotype or phenotype will
result from each fertilization. Fill in the Punnett square below to determine the odds that a particular outcome
will occur if both parents have the genotype Bb for trunk shape.

Male

Female

Genotypes:

(BB)

(Bb)

(bb)

______ ______ ______

(Convert the ratios to decimals)

Phenotypes:

Dominant

Recessive

______

______

(Convert the ratios to decimals)

Based on the Punnett square, what do you expect will happen (genotype and phenotype) when these two aliens
have their first child?
(It will probably) ________________________________________________________________________________________
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What if they have 4 children?
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What if they have 100 children?
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Now let's see how well our predictions hold true if we "scale up."
The boxes that you receive hold the sex cells for a pair of aliens. Much like humans, the alien males produce
sperm throughout most of their lives, while the female is born with a limited number of eggs (only about 400 are
released during a female lifetime). Each box contains an equal number of maternal and paternal chromosomes,
and we will only look at one gene on that chromosome, the gene for trunk shape (Bb).
You will randomly select a male sex cell and a female sex cell and record the genotype and phenotype for that
particular "fertilization." Since both parents have a genotype of Bb, each time you pull out a sex cell, there is a
50/50 chance that you will get either of those possibilities. Place the sex cell back in the box after recording
each attempt.

Attempt #

Genotype

Phenotype

Attempt #

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

10

25

11

26

12

27

13

28

14

29

15

30

Genotype

In the box below, record the ratios at each of the intervals listed (4 tries, 10 tries, 25 tries)
How close is the prediction (Punnett square) to "reality" after 4 tries? After 10 tries? After 25 tries?
Ratios for each "type"
Attempts

Phenotype

Genotype

BB
Bb
bb
Dominant
Recessive

10

25

Prediction

Phenotype