Final answer:
Genomic imprinting suggests that for genes controlling nutrient supply to the fetus, such as a newly discovered gene in the placenta, the father's copy would likely be active and the mother's copy inactive, to optimize resource allocation to the offspring from the paternal perspective. The correct option is 1) the father's copy is turned on; the mother's copy is turned off.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the principles of genomic imprinting, the most likely prediction would be that the father's copy of the gene is turned on while the mother's copy is turned off. Genomic imprinting is a genetic phenomenon by which certain genes are expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner. For instance, in the case of a gene that diverts more nutrients to the developing fetus, evolutionary theory suggests that the father's genes would favor a strategy to ensure the survival and growth of his offspring, possibly to the detriment of the mother's nutritional status, as the father doesn't have to invest in pregnancy beyond the sperm. Conversely, the mother's genes might be selected for limiting the resource demand from any one fetus to preserve her overall reproductive capability over time.
Patterns of inheritance, such as those seen with genes in the placenta, often show that there's a conflict of interest between the maternal and paternal genomes in regulating fetal growth and resource allocation. Genes that are paternally expressed are often growth-promoting, while maternally expressed genes typically limit growth. This is known as the parental conflict hypothesis or the conflict theory of genomic imprinting. Therefore, the answer is most likely: 1) the father's copy is turned on; the mother's copy is turned off.