Beyond Dominant and Recessive Alleles

3/6/2014

Incomplete Dominance
Occurs when one allele is not completely dominant over the other The heterozygous phenotype is a blending of the two homozygous phenotypes

Example of incomplete dominance: flower color in four oclock plants

Two alleles: R - red W - white RR plants are red WW plants are white
Cross: RR x WW RW plants are pink!
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Another example of incomplete dominance horse color

Cross a chestnut brown horse (CC) with a white horse (WW) Result is a golden palomino (CW)

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Codominance
Both alleles contribute to the phenotype Instead of a blend, phenotype shows distinct features of both alleles

Example of Codominance
Feather color in chickens Two alleles: FB = Black FW= White FB FB = black chicken; FW FW = white chicken Cross a black chicken with a white chicken (FB FB x FW FW) Offspring is FB FW = black and white speckled

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