Tutorial Assignment #5: Chromosomes and Inheritance

Name: Abeer Shehzad

TA: Nick Boehler

Section: 9108

Complete each question and save as a PDF or Word Document. If extensive calculations or
figures are required for your solutions, you may insert a clear photo of the work into this
document.

1. A recently discovered bird species was found to have 12 chromosomes in its somatic
cells before S phase. (5 marks)
a. How many chromosomes (2n) are present in a somatic cell during mitosis?
24
b. How many chromosomes does a bird receive from one parent?
12
c. How many sister chromatids are present during metaphase 2?
24
d. Assuming this species follows the same XX/XY sex differentiation as mammals,
how many sex chromosomes are in an unfertilized egg?
2
e. How many pairs of homologous chromosomes would you expect to see lined up
during metaphase 2?
12

2. An onion cell (2n) with 10 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes is about to undergo
meiosis. How many cells will result from this process, and what is the chromosome
number and ploidy of each cell? (2 marks)
4 haploid daughter cells with 5 autosomes and 1 sex chromosome

3. An animal is heterozygous for two autosomal genetic traits found on different

chromosomes. Purple fur is inherited dominantly (with pp genotype giving green fur)
and the gene is located near the telomere on the short arm of an acrocentric autosome.
The gene for claw sharpness is located closer to the centromere on one arm of a
metacentric chromosome. The S+ allele is dominant and results in sharp pointy claws,
while the SS genotype gives the animal rounded dull claws. Create and label a diagram
showing all possible arrangements of the chromosomes involved in these traits’
inheritance during metaphase 1. (8 marks)