Coloration in the peppered moth (Biston betularia)is determined by a single gene with two alleles showing complete dominance.Dark moths are homozygous dominant or heterozygous for the gene,light moths are homozygous recessive.In a sample of 100 moths,you determine that 64 of the moths are dark.According to the Hardy-Weinberg rule,the expected frequency of the dominant allele is ________.
A)0)4
B)0)36
C)0)6
D)0)64
E)It cannot be determined.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frequency of the dominant allele can be calculated using the Hardy-Weinberg principle. Given that 64% of the moths are dark (homozygous dominant or heterozygous), and assuming the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, we can use the square root of the dominant phenotype frequency to estimate the dominant allele frequency. However, the correct approach involves understanding that the frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype (light moths) can be used to calculate allele frequencies. If 64 moths are dark, then 36 moths are light (100 - 64 = 36), and since light moths are homozygous recessive, the frequency of the recessive allele (q) is the square root of 0.36 (q^2 = 0.36), which gives q = 0.6. The frequency of the dominant allele (p) is then 1 - q = 1 - 0.6 = 0.4. Therefore, the expected frequency of the dominant allele is 0.4.

Coloration in the Peppered Moth (Biston Betularia)is Determined by a Single