Question

A dog breeder crossed two dogs of the same breed, both with brown fur. The dogs produced a litter of four brown dogs and one white dog. Which choice best explains this occurrence

Answer 1

The occurrence of four brown dogs and one white dog in a litter of dogs with brown fur can be explained by genetic variation and inheritance patterns.

Step-by-step explanation:

The occurrence of four brown dogs and one white dog in a litter of dogs with brown fur can be explained by multiple factors, including genetic variation, inheritance patterns, and the presence of different alleles.

In the case of Labrador retrievers, fur color is controlled by two alleles, E and B. Dogs with the ee genotype develop into yellow labs, while dogs with the B_E genotype become black labs, and dogs with the bbE_ genotype become chocolate labs.

In this particular case, if both parent dogs have brown fur, it is possible that they both carry the recessive allele for white fur (bb). When they reproduce, there is a 25% chance that both parents will pass on the recessive alleles to produce a white dog.

This occurrence is an example of Mendelian inheritance, where the inheritance of traits is determined by the combination of alleles from both parents.