In Leghorn chickens, + stands for colored feathers and C represents white feathers. At an independently inherited gene, the allele + inhibits color expression, whereas I has no effect on color expression
What is your question?
To understand the expression of color in Leghorn chickens, we need to look at the alleles at two independently inherited genes: one gene that determines feather color and another gene that influences color expression. In this case, let's use the symbols + and C to represent the alleles for feather color.
According to the information given, the allele + inhibits color expression, while the allele C represents white feathers. Therefore, if a chicken has two alleles of + (denoted as ++), it will inhibit color expression, resulting in white feathers. On the other hand, if a chicken has at least one allele of C (denoted as C+ or CC), it will have colored feathers.
Now, there is another independently inherited gene involved that affects color expression. Let's use the symbols I and i to represent the alleles at this gene. It is mentioned that the allele I has no effect on color expression. Therefore, if a chicken has at least one allele of I (denoted as Ii or II), it will not alter the color expression determined by the alleles at the previous gene. In other words, the effects of the allele + or C on feather color will remain unchanged.
To summarize the color expression in Leghorn chickens:
- If a chicken has two alleles of + (++) and at least one allele of I (Ii or II), it will have white feathers.
- If a chicken has at least one allele of C (C+ or CC) and at least one allele of I (Ii or II), it will have colored feathers, as the allele + is not present to inhibit color expression.
It's important to note that these explanations are based on the given information, and specific breeding patterns can lead to more complex variations in color expression.