As you work on different activities in this module, you should be able to answer the following key

questions:
Before you start with the module, be sure to answer the pre-assessment questions.
Pre-Assessment :
Answer briefly the following questions:
1. Pink four oclock flowers are obtained from a cross between pure bred red flower plant
and white flower plant. What is the genotype of the pink flowers?
________________________________________________
2. The structure of the DNA is actually in a double helix arrangement. The nitrogen bases
in each of the chain can only pair with specific bases, like adenine pairs only with
thymine and cytosine pairs only with guanine. If the left chain of a DNA molecule has the
nucleotide sequence CCGTAGGCC, what is the sequence of the right chain of the DNA
molecule?___________________________________________
3. Read the given problem.
In some aliens, one center horn (A) is codominant with two horns (B). If an alien inherits
both alleles (AB), then the alien has three horns. A recessive allele (O) results in an alien which
has no horns. Can you match the genotype to each of the pictures below? Write the genotype
and phenotype of the four aliens in the box provided.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Source: (image) www.biologycorner.com

In the Mendelian patterns of inheritance, the effects of the recessive gene are not
observed when the dominant gene is present. In this lesson, you will find out that certain
traits do not always follow the Mendelian principles of heredity.
1. Incomplete Dominance
In incomplete dominance, a heterozygote shows a phenotype that is intermediate
between the two homozygous phenotypes. Neither allele is dominant over the other.
An example of incomplete dominance is flower color in four oclock plant, like those
shown in Figure 1. When a pure red-flowered four oclock plant is crossed with a pure
whiteflowered
four oclock plant, the offspring will produce neither red nor white flowers. Instead,
all flowers will be pink.
Do you think the alleles blended to make pink?
In incomplete dominance, it is only the phenotype that is intermediate. The red and white
alleles remain separate and distinct. Half the gametes of the pink four oclock carry the
allele for red and half carry the allele for white. Therefore, the genotypic ratio also becomes
the phenotypic ratio.
Source: buffonescience9.wikispaces
Figure 1. Punnett square showing a cross between red and white four oclock flowers

Activity 1 Phenotypes and Genotypes in

Incomplete
Dominance
Objectives:

Explain incomplete dominance pattern of inheritance

Illustrate by means of Punnett square a cross involving incomplete dominance pattern of
inheritance.

Materials:
Activity sheets
Manila paper
Marking pen

Procedure:
1. Read the given problem:
Show the possible outcome of the cross between two pink flowered four oclock
plants by using the Punnett square.
2. Now, another cross was made involving a red flowered four oclock plant and a pink
flowered four oclock plant.
3. Using the Punnett square again, show the possible outcome.
4. Show your Punnett square for problems 1 and 2 using a Manila paper.
5. Present and discuss your answers.

Guide Questions:
Q1. How many types of gametes will each parent produce in problem no. 1?_________
In problem no. 2? ___________
Q2. What is the phenotype of a heterozygous four oclock flower?__________
Q3. What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring from the cross of the parental
plants in problem no. 1?_________________
In problem no. 2?_____________
Q4. What are the possible genotypes of the offspring from the cross of the parental
plants in problem no. 1?_________________
In problem no. 2?_____________

Key Concepts
Incomplete dominance is a form of intermediate inheritance in which one allele for a
specific trait is not completely dominant over the other allele. This results in a third
phenotype in which the expressed physical trait is a combination of the dominant
and recessive phenotypes.