In: Biology
Albinism is a rare autosomal recessive trait in which there is a complete absence of melanin pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair. A normally pigmented woman whose parents are normal has a brother who is albino. She marries a normally pigmented man whose grandfather was albino. What is the probability their first child will be albino?
I would like to see the problem worked out. Dont understand why it is 1/12. Thank you in advance
Albinism is an autosomal recessive trait, let the alleles be A- normal and a- recessive.
Both parents of the woman are phenotypically normal, but they have one affected progeny, this shows both parents are heterozygous, and the woman is phenotypically normal.
Aa * Aa
A | a | |
A | AA ( normal) | Aa ( normal) |
a | Aa (normal) | aa ( albino) |
probability that the woman is a carrier= number of carriers/number of phenotypically normal progenies
= 2/3
Man`s grandfather is affected, grandfather's genotype is aa, let grandmother be normal and her genotype is AA.
aa * AA
Aa
so the man`s one parent is Aa, let the other parent be AA
Aa * AA
A | a | |
A | AA ( normal) | Aa ( normal) |
Probability that the man is Aa= number of Aa/total number of progenies
=1/2
probability of getting aa progeny for Aa woman and Aa man= probability of getting aa progeny for Aa and Aa=number of aa/total number=1/4
( from first punnet square)
so probability of getting albino progeny for this man and woman= probability that woman is a carrier probability that man is the carrier probability of getting aa progeny for Aa woman and Aa man = 2/31/21/4=1/12