Question

In chickens, the allele for black feathers is co-dominant with the allele for white feathers. Black-feathered and white-feathered birds are ___________ for either the black (B) allele or the white (W) allele.

a. heterozygotes
b. homozygotes

Answer 1

Co-dominance

Step-by-step explanation:

• In chickens, the allele for black feathers is co-dominant with the allele for white feathers. Black-feathered and white-feathered birds are homozygotes for either the black (B) allele or the white (W) allele.

Co-dominance is a gene interaction in which both alleles of a gene are equally dominant and express themselves equally.

Since the genes for black feathers and genes for white feathers are co-dominant,presence of both the allele in the organism (heterozygote) will result in speckeled phenotype.

So the birds with complete black feather or complete white feathers will be homozygotes for the respective alleles.