A population of black cats has been interbreeding. However, in one litter, a sole gray kitten is born. The successive generations now have a few gray cats. Which mechanism is responsible for introducing this new allele in the cat population?
Answer (3)
Sexual Breeding is the answer
A gray kitten born to a population of black cats is an example of a mutation introducing a new allele into the gene pool, specifically illustrated by a mutation in the dilute gene leading to the gray (dd) phenotype.
The mechanism responsible for introducing a new allele in a population of interbreeding black cats, where a gray kitten is born, is mutation. A mutation in one of the genes affecting fur color can lead to a new color variant in the population. In this case, the gray fur is likely due to a mutation in one or more of the alleles responsible for fur pigmentation, such as the dilute gene mentioned, where the gray kitten has the dd genotype which dilutes the pigmentation, making black cats appear gray. This mutation can be passed down to successive generations, introducing genetic variance within the cat population.
The gray kitten in a population of black cats demonstrates that the introduction of a new allele is due to a mutation in the genes affecting fur color. This mutation allows for genetic diversity, which can be passed on to successive generations. Over time, this leads to the presence of gray cats in the population.
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