Understanding Mendel's Test Cross in Genetics

Learn why Mendel used test crosses to reveal genetic traits and determine an organism's genotype.

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Mendel used a test cross to determine the genotype of an organism exhibiting a dominant phenotype. By crossing the organism with a homozygous recessive individual, he could observe the offspring's traits and deduce whether the dominant trait carrier was homozygous or heterozygous. The ratio of phenotypes in the offspring revealed the intended genetic information.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is a test cross? A test cross involves breeding an organism with a dominant phenotype with a homozygous recessive individual to determine the genotype of the dominant trait.
  2. How does Mendel's test cross work? Mendel's test cross determines whether an organism with a dominant phenotype is homozygous or heterozygous based on the phenotypes of its offspring.
  3. What can be inferred from the offspring's ratio in a test cross? The ratio of the offspring's phenotypes reveals the genotype of the parent organism; a 3:1 ratio suggests a heterozygous parent, while a 1:1 ratio indicates a homozygous dominant parent.

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