Final answer:
The white spot on the kittens' noses appears to be a Y-linked trait, as only the male kittens exhibited it and the trait was seen in the father, not the mother. Therefore, the correct answer is that a sex-linked gene controlling the expression of the white spot is found on the Y chromosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
From the information given, we can determine that the presence of a white spot on the nose of the kittens is a sex-linked trait. Because all 10 male kittens exhibited the white spot while none of the 6 female kittens did, and the father Jake had the white spot but the mother Lucy didn't, this pattern is consistent with a Y-linked gene. Given that sex-linked traits are often associated with the chromosomes that determine the sex of an individual (X and Y chromosomes), and considering that only males (who have one X and one Y chromosome) showed the trait, it's logical to conclude that the white spot characteristic in this case is likely linked to the Y chromosome. Thus, the answer to the question is D) A sex-linked gene that controls the expression of the white spot is found on the Y chromosome.
Looking at sex-linked inheritance in other organisms, like Drosophila (the common fruit fly), or traits like coat color in cats which is located on the X chromosome, we can see parallels that further support this conclusion. For instance, male Drosophila with a gene affecting eye color on the X chromosome would only need one copy of the allele to express the trait, as they are hemizygous for X-linked traits.