Question

In horses, the Palomino color is the result of incomplete dominance of the C locus. The homozygous dominant is chestnut and the homozygous recessive is albino. What phenotypic ratio would be expected from the mating of 2 Palomino types?

Answer 1

In horses, the mating of two Palomino horses (both Cc) results in an expected phenotypic ratio of 1 chestnut (CC) : 2 Palomino (Cc) : 1 albino (cc), following a 1:2:1 pattern of incomplete dominance.

Step-by-step explanation:

In horses, the Palomino color is the result of incomplete dominance at the C locus. A horse with a homozygous dominant genotype (CC) will have a chestnut color, while a homozygous recessive genotype (cc) results in an albino phenotype. When two Palomino horses mate, which have the heterozygous genotype (Cc), the expected phenotypic ratio of their offspring would be 1 chestnut : 2 Palomino : 1 albino (1 CC : 2 Cc : 1 cc). This follows the classical 1:2:1 ratio seen in cases of incomplete dominance.

By applying the principles of Mendelian genetics, specifically the pattern of inheritance known as incomplete dominance, we can predict that the phenotypic ratio from the mating of two Palomino horses will be a reflection of the underlying genotypic ratio. The intermediate phenotype of the Palomino occurs when there is one chestnut allele and one albino allele, leading to this distinctive coloration.