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AP®BiologyCollege BoardExam QuestionsUnit 5: HeredityInheritance

Inheritance (College Board AP® Biology)

Exam Questions

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Inheritance

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Inheritance

1
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Tay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the HEXA gene, resulting in a deficiency of the enzyme hexosaminidase A. It is possible for two healthy individuals to have a daughter with Tay-Sachs disease. Which of the following best describes the inheritance of Tay-Sachs disease?

  • It is caused by a dominant allele on the X chromosome.

  • It is caused by a dominant allele on an autosomal chromosome.

  • It is caused by a recessive allele on an autosomal chromosome.

  • It is caused by a recessive allele on the Y chromosome.

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2
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In Himalayan rabbits the gene responsible for fur pigmentation is active only in cooler parts of the body, such as the ears, feet, and nose. Which of the following best explains the variation in fur color in Himalayan rabbits?

  • The gene for pigmentation is located on the sex chromosome.

  • Fur color in Himalayan rabbits shows phenotypic plasticity.

  • The gene for pigmentation is silenced.

  • The gene for pigmentation is randomly activated in some cells and not others.

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3
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In a study researchers observed the inheritance of a single trait in the F2 generation of a pea plant cross. Table 1 shows the results collected from a cross between two parent plants with purple phenotypes.

Table 1

Phenotype

Number of plants

Purple flowers

92

White flowers

32

Which of the following is the most likely conclusion from the inheritance pattern observed?

  • The trait is determined by codominant alleles.

  • The trait follows Mendel's laws of segregation.

  • The trait is determined by genes that are linked.

  • The trait is determined by polygenic inheritance.

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4
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In a genetic study involving newts, researchers investigated two traits: tail length and skin color. They crossed a newt with a normal-length tail and green skin (heterozygous for both traits) with a newt with a short tail and white skin (homozygous recessive for both traits). Table 1 shows the phenotypes of 200 offspring produced in the cross.

Table 1

Phenotype

Males

Females

Normal-length tail, green skin (TtGg)

43

42

Normal-length tail, white skin (Ttgg)

7

8

Short tail, green skin (ttGg)

5

5

Short tail, white skin (ttgg)

46

44

Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from these results?

  • The genes for tail length and skin color are located on different chromosomes and assort independently.

  • The genes for tail length and skin color exhibit incomplete dominance.

  • The genes for tail length and skin color are linked on the same chromosome and do not assort independently.

  • The genes for tail length and skin color are sex-linked and inherited through the X chromosome.

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5
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The DNA in mitochondria and chloroplasts is separate from the nuclear DNA in eukaryotic cells. Which of the following statements regarding the inheritance of traits determined by genes located in the chloroplasts and mitochondria is correct?

  • Chloroplasts and mitochondria are randomly assorted into gametes, meaning that traits determined by chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA follow Mendelian inheritance rules.

  • In animals, mitochondria are transmitted by both egg and sperm cells, meaning traits determined by mitochondrial DNA can be inherited from either parent.

  • In plants, mitochondria and chloroplasts are transmitted in the ovule and not in the pollen, meaning that mitochondria- and chloroplast-determined traits are maternally inherited.

  • In plants, mitochondrial DNA is transmitted via ovules, while chloroplast DNA is transmitted via pollen.

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