Molecular Genetics Quiz

1. A represents the dominant allele and a represents the recessive allele of a pair. If, in 1000 offspring,
500 are aa and 500 are of some other genotype, which of the following are most probably the genotypes
of the parents?
a) Aa and Aa b)Aa and aa c) Aa and aa d) AA and aa

2. Which of the following in not an example of sex chromosome abnormalities?

a) A baby with XXX chromosomes
b) A baby with XXY chromosomes
c) A baby with XYY chromosomes
d) A baby with XX chromosomes

3. Which of the following point to an error of replication?

a) Deletion and duplication
b) Inversion only
c) Translocation and duplication
d) Inversion and duplication

4. Which of the following point to an error of crossing over?

a) Inversion only
b) Translocation and deletion
c) Translocation and inversion
d) Duplication only

5. Which is an example of incomplete dominance?

a) A red flower and a white flower having red flower offspring
b) A red flower and a white flower having white flower offspring
c) A red flower and a white flower having pink flower offspring
d) All of the above

6. Black fur in mice (B) is dominant to brown fur (b). Short tails (T) are dominant to long tails (t). What
fraction of the progeny (offspring) of the test cross BbTt x Bbtt will have black fur and long tails?
a) 1/16 b) 3/16 c) 3/8 d) 1/2 e) 9/16

7. Hypophosphatemia (vitamin D-resistant rickets) is inherited as an sex-linked dominant trait. The

relevant gene is found on the X chromosome. What is the expected outcome of a cross between a
homozygous recessive woman and a man with hypophosphatemia?
a) 50% of their daughters and 50% of their sons have hypophosphatemia
b) 25% of their daughters and 75% of their sons have hypophosphatemia
c) All of their daughters have hypophosphatemia
d) All of their sons have hypophosphatemia

8. In humans, red-green color blindness is a sex-linked recessive trait. If a man and a woman produce a
color-blind son, which of the following must be true?
a) The father is color-blind.
b) Both parents carry the allele for color blindness.
c) Neither parent carries the allele for color blindness.
 d) The father carries the allele for color blindness.
e) The mother carries the allele for color blindness

9. Mom has type A blood, who gives birth to a daughter who is O positive and a son who is B. Both
children have the same father. Which of the following is a possible phenotype for the dad of both?
a) A b)O c) B d) AB

10. Which stage(s) of meiosis creates the law of independent assortment?

a) Metaphase 1 only
b) Telophase only
c) Prophase 1 only
d) Prophase 1 and Metaphase 1
e) All stages of meiosis create the law of independent assortment

11. Which of the following do not point to recessive sex linked inheritance?
a) No father to son transmission
b) Predominantly males affected
c) Trait may skip generations
d) All of these point to recessive autosomal inheritance

12. In peas the trait for tall plants is dominant (T) and the trait for short plants is recessive (t). The trait for
yellow seed color is dominant (Y) and the trait for green seed color is recessive (y). A cross between two
plants results in 296 tall yellow plants and 104 tall green plants. Which of the following are most likely to
be the genotypes of the parents?
a) TTYY x TTYY b) Ttyy x TTYy c) TtYy x TtYy d) TtYy x TTYy e) TtYY x Ttyy

13.Mom has type A blood, who gives birth to a daughter who is O positive and a son who is B. Both
children have the same father.
Which of the following is a possible genotype for the son?
a) IBIB b) IBIA c)ii d)IBi e) IAIA

14. Which of the following is true about Down syndrome?

a) Chromosome 21 is the largest human chromosome
b) Results from having 1 copy of chromosome 21
c) Its present in 1 of 500 children born in the US
d) Frequency of Down syndrome correlates with the age of the mother

15. Why were peas a good choice for Mendel?

a) They were available in different varieties with distinct heritable features
b) Pea plants can self-fertilize
c) Mendel could cross-pollinate them
d) They are very simple genetically
e) All of the above

Daniela A, Aishani D, Brennon M

P2
 Molecular Genetics Quiz Answer Key (Refer to answers, not letter)
1. A represents the dominant allele and a represents the recessive allele of a pair. If, in 1000 offspring,
500 are aa and 500 are of some other genotype, which of the following are most probably the genotypes
of the parents?
b) Aa and Aa
c) Aa and aa
d) Aa and aa
e) AA and aa

2. Which of the following in not an example of sex chromosome abnormalities?

e) A baby with XXX chromosomes
f) A baby with XXY chromosomes
g) A baby with XYY chromosomes
h) A baby with XX chromosomes

3. Which of the following point to an error of replication?

e) Deletion and duplication
f) Inversion only
g) Translocation and duplication
h) Inversion and duplication

4. Which of the following point to an error of crossing over?

e) Inversion only
f) Translocation and deletion
g) Translocation and inversion
h) Duplication only

5. Which is an example of incomplete dominance?

e) A red flower and a white flower having red flower offspring
f) A red flower and a white flower having white flower offspring
g) A red flower and a white flower having pink flower offspring
h) All of the above

6. Black fur in mice (B) is dominant to brown fur (b). Short tails (T) are dominant to long tails (t). What
fraction of the progeny (offspring) of the test cross BbTt x Bbtt will have black fur and long tails?
b) 1/16
c) 3/16
d) 3/8
e) 1/2
f) 9/16

7. Hypophosphatemia (vitamin D-resistant rickets) is inherited as an sex-linked dominant trait. The

relevant gene is found on the X chromosome. What is the expected outcome of a cross between a
homozygous recessive woman and a man with hypophosphatemia?
e) 50% of their daughters and 50% of their sons have hypophosphatemia
f) 25% of their daughters and 75% of their sons have hypophosphatemia
g) All of their daughters have hypophosphatemia
h) All of their sons have hypophosphatemia
8.In humans, red-green color blindness is a sex-linked recessive trait. If a man and a woman produce a
color-blind son, which of the following must be true?
f) The father is color-blind.
g) Both parents carry the allele for color blindness.
h) Neither parent carries the allele for color blindness.
i) The father carries the allele for color blindness.
j) The mother carries the allele for color blindness

9.Mom has type A blood, who gives birth to a daughter who is O positive and a son who is B. Both
children have the same father. Which of the following is a possible phenotype for the dad of both?
a) A
b) O
c) B
d) AB

10. Which stage(s) of meiosis creates the law of independent assortment?

f) Metaphase 1 only
g) Telophase only
h) Prophase 1 only
i) Prophase 1 and Metaphase 1
j) All stages of meiosis create the law of independent assortment

11. Which of the following do not point to recessive sex linked inheritance?
e) No father to son transmission
f) Predominantly males affected
g) Trait may skip generations
h) All of these point to recessive sex linked inheritance

12. In peas the trait for tall plants is dominant (T) and the trait for short plants is recessive (t). The trait for
yellow seed color is dominant (Y) and the trait for green seed color is recessive (y). A cross between two
plants results in 296 tall yellow plants and 104 tall green plants. Which of the following are most likely to
be the genotypes of the parents?
b) TTYY x TTYY
c) Ttyy x TTYy
d) TtYy x TtYy
e) TtYy x TTYy
f) TtYY x Ttyy

13. Mom has type A blood, who gives birth to a daughter who is O positive and a son who is B. Both
children have the same father.
Which of the following is a possible genotype for the son?
a) IBIB
b) IBIA
c) ii
d) IBi
e) IAIA
14. Which of the following is true about Down syndrome?
e) Chromosome 21 is the largest human chromosome
f) Results from having 1 copy of chromosome 21
g) Its present in 1 of 500 children born in the US
h) Frequency of Down syndrome correlates with the age of the mother

15. Why were peas a good choice for Mendel?

f) They were available in different varieties with distinct heritable features
g) Pea plants can self-fertilize
h) Mendel could cross-pollinate them
i) They are very simple genetically
j) All of the above