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Q.Why the ratio in pleiotropy is 2 : 1? Explain it with example.

Maharashtra MsbshseMaharashtra HSC (MSBSHSE) Board 2016Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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In pleiotropy the same gene affects both a visible trait and viability; when the homozygous dominant class is lethal and dies before birth, only 2 heterozygous : 1 homozygous-recessive survive, giving the 2:1 ratio —...

A lethal pleiotropic allele removes one genotypic class from the surviving offspring, converting the usual 3:1 ratio to 2:1.

Pleiotropy occurs when a single gene influences more than one phenotypic character simultaneously. A classic example is coat colour in mice: the allele AY (dominant) produces a yellow coat, while its recessive allele a produces the normal agouti coat colour. However, the same AY allele also has a second, lethal effect — when present in the homozygous condition (AYAY), it causes death of the embryo before birth. When two heterozygous yellow mice (AYA x AYA) are crossed, the expected genotypic ratio would be 1 AYAY : 2 AYA : 1 aa. But since the AYAY class dies in utero and is never born, only the surviving offspring are counted: 2 AYA (yellow) and 1 aa (agouti), giving an observed phenotypic ratio of 2 (yellow) : 1 (agouti) instead of t …

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