Final answer:
The characteristics in the pedigree can be caused by an X-linked recessive allele, which results in diseases appearing more frequently in males than females. Examples include color blindness, hemophilia, and muscular dystrophy, and females can be carriers without showing symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, the characteristics described in the pedigree could be caused by an X-linked recessive allele. This kind of inheritance pattern appears more frequently in males because males have only one X chromosome. If a male inherits a recessive allele responsible for a disorder on the X chromosome, he will express the condition since there's no corresponding allele on the Y chromosome to counteract it. In contrast, females have two X chromosomes, so they would need to inherit two copies of the recessive allele to express the trait. If they inherit only one recessive allele, they become carriers without showing any symptoms of the disorder.
Diseases such as color blindness, hemophilia, and muscular dystrophy are examples of X-linked recessive disorders. A female who is a carrier (heterozygous for the disease allele) will have a 50% chance of passing the defective gene to her sons, who will express the disease, and a 50% chance of passing the carrier status to her daughters. This explains why these disorders are more common in males than in females.