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Biology - Mendel's second law

Mendel's second law

The law of independent assortment [1] states that pairs of 'factors'
separate independently of each other during gamete formation. (We now know
that this is only true for genes located on different chromosomes, not on
the same chromosomes.) Mendel derived this law from numerous crosses
following the pattern of inheritance of two contrasting characteristics in
pea plants.

Predicting the results of a dihybrid [2] cross is more complicated than
predicting the possible results of a monohybrid cross. [3] The possible
combinations of two alleles [4] for the two traits [5] in each parent's
gametes needs to be considered and all the possible gamete combinations at
fertilisation. The Punnett square method is the best method to use for
predicting the outcomes at F and F.

Consider the coat length and coat colour of guinea pigs. Short hair is
dominant over long hair and black hair is dominant over brown hair.

Suppose two guinea pigs, both heterozygous [6] for both traits, mate. What
are the possible types and ratios of the phenotypes and genotypes [7] of
the offspring?

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[5] http://alison.com/#
[6] http://alison.com/#
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