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Explain why a male squirting cucumber cannot have the genotype A(d)A(d).

A. A(d)A(d) is a lethal genotype in male squirting cucumbers.
B. A male squirting cucumber always has the genotype A(d)A(d).
C. A(d)A(d) is a dominant genotype in male squirting cucumbers.
D. A male squirting cucumber can have the genotype A(d)A(d).

User Valdarin
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Final answer:

The genotype A(d)A(d) is lethal for male squirting cucumbers, explaining why such an organism cannot possess this genotype. This is a specific example of how certain genotypes can affect organism survivability.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question touches upon genetics, particularly the inheritance of alleles and genotypes in an organism, using a male squirting cucumber as an example. In Mendelian genetics, dominant and recessive alleles have distinct modes of inheritance. An individual cannot have the genotype A(d)A(d) for the designated trait if it is lethal for male squirting cucumbers. Thus, the reason a male squirting cucumber cannot have the genotype A(d)A(d) is that it is a lethal genotype in male squirting cucumbers, so option A is the correct answer.

Based on given facts from both human genetics and examples of plants with specific gene expressions, such as the inheritance patterns seen in summer squash and pea plants, it's clear that certain genotypes can have a drastic effect on the survivability of organisms. Just as discoveries in fruit fly genetics can create parallels to human genetics, understanding lethal genotypes in plants can help one appreciate the complexity and precariousness of genetic inheritance.

User Melsi
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