Dragon Genetics Questions: Competency 8 Performance Assessment

Part 1: Intro and Rules Questions

• What rule governs inheritance of the fancy tail?
• What allele combinations yield a fancy tail?
• How are wings inherited?
• What allele combinations yield wings?
• What rule governs inheritance of horns?
• How are legs inherited?
• What rule governs fire breathing?
• Explain your answer to the fire-breathing question.
• What type of trait is color? 
• Explain how color is determined in dragons. 

Part 2: Meiosis Questions

• Can the father dragon provide the required alleles to have a winged, legless dragon child?
• Can the mother dragon provide the required alleles to have a winged, legless dragon child?
• Complete the crossing over exercise and take a screenshot of your results (not a virtual lab notebook snapshot). Paste your screenshot into a Word document (make it very large so I can see it) and explain how your efforts would result in a winged, legless dragon child. Save your document and upload it here.
• Breed your dragons and take a screenshot of the results. Paste your screenshot into a Word document (make it very large so I can see it). Save your document and upload it here.

Part 3: Pedigree and Genes

• Examine dragons of your F8 generation. Are there any alleles that are different? Take a screenshot (not a virtual lab notebook snapshot) of this generation. Paste your screenshot into a Word document (make it large enough for me to see) and explain what alleles are different. Save your document and upload it here.
• How many generations does it take until all the dragons are the same? Take a screenshot (not a virtual lab notebook snapshot) of this generation. Paste your screenshot into a Word document (make it large enough for me to see). Briefly discuss your mating scheme to get to this generation. Save your document and upload it here. NOTE: If you reach F30 and still have differences, take a screenshot of that generation and discuss your mating scheme.
• What is something noteworthy about inbred strains of organisms?

Part 4: The Plates Problem

• Is it possible to determine how the plates on a dragon’s neck are inherited by examining the offspring of the first pair of dragons? Explain your answer.
• During the course of your pedigree crosses, what could you determine about the inheritance of neck plates? Explain your answer.
• Where do you think the gene for neck plates is located? Why do you think this?
• Based on what you know, what trait seems to indicate a dragon will grow plates later in life? Why do these two traits stay connected?