Which is the most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits?
A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
The parents have recessive alleles, and the child inherited a dominant allele.
The parents have recessive alleles, and the child inherited a dominant allele.
A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person.
A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person.
The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
The most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits is that a mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
The most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits is that the trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
To understand why this is the most probable explanation, we need to consider the principles of inheritance. Each individual has two copies of each gene, one inherited from each parent. These gene copies can be either dominant or recessive. Dominant traits only require one copy of the dominant allele to be expressed, while recessive traits require two copies of the recessive allele.
In the given scenario, if neither parent exhibits the trait, it suggests that they do not have a dominant allele for that trait. If the child were to exhibit the trait, it means that they must have received two copies of the recessive allele, one from each parent. This occurrence is more likely when both parents carry a single copy of the recessive allele but do not express the trait.
It's important to note that mutations can occur and result in new traits not seen in the parents. However, in the given options, the mutation scenario is not the most likely explanation since it is not mentioned that any of the parents harbor a mutated allele. In the absence of a mutation, the inheritance pattern described above is the most probable reason for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits.