Question

E.g. skittishness, hyperactivity in Abcd2 knockout mice

a) It highlights the importance of gene Abcd2 in behavior
b) It indicates a lack of genetic influence on behavior
c) It suggests environmental factors play a role
d) It implies a direct correlation with coat color

Answer 1

Skittishness and hyperactivity in Abcd2 knockout mice indicate the importance of the Abcd2 gene in behavior, unrelated to environmental factors or coat color, which are examples of genetic and not behavioral characteristics.

Step-by-step explanation:

Behaviors such as skittishness and hyperactivity observed in Abcd2 knockout mice would most likely highlight the importance of the Abcd2 gene in behavior (Option a). This is because the presence of such behaviors in the knockout mice implies that the gene usually plays a role in moderating these behaviors, which are more prominent when the gene is not functional. It doesn't necessarily suggest a lack of genetic influence or that environmental factors are at play. Additionally, there is no direct correlation mentioned between these behaviors and coat color based on the provided references. Epistasis in mice, such as the case where the gene responsible for pigment production (C) is epistatic to the A gene for coat color, provides an example of how one gene can mask the expression of another, but it is unrelated to the example of behavior in Abcd2 knockout mice.