Inheritance MCQs set 3 for Ziauddin University Medical Entry Test Biology — 20 solved questions.
Q1. What is the process by which an individual's genotype is determined by its parents' genotypes?
Answer: Mendelian inheritance
Explanation: Mendelian inheritance: genotype determined by parents' genotypes, not random events.
Q2. What is the term for the movement of individuals with a particular genotype into a new population?
Answer: Gene flow
Explanation: Gene flow: movement of individuals with a particular genotype, not genetic drift.
Q3. A plant has the genotype 'Rr' for the trait of red flowers. What is the probability that it will produce offspring with red flowers?
Answer: 50%
Explanation: 50%: 'Rr' plant has 50% chance of passing on 'R' allele.
Q4. What is the term for the change in the frequency of a particular allele in a population over time?
Answer: Genetic drift
Explanation: Genetic drift: change in allele frequency, not gene flow or mutation.
Q5. In a population, what is the term for the proportion of individuals with a particular genotype?
Answer: Genotype frequency
Explanation: Genotype frequency: proportion of individuals with a particular genotype.
Q6. A couple has a child with an X-linked recessive disorder. What is the probability that their next child will also have the disorder?
Answer: 25%
Explanation: 25%: each son has 25% chance of inheriting X-linked recessive allele.
Q7. In a population, what is the term for the total number of genes for a particular trait?
Answer: Gene pool
Explanation: Gene pool: total number of genes, not genotype or phenotype.
Q8. A couple has a child with a dominant disorder. What is the probability that their next child will also have the disorder?
Answer: 50%
Explanation: 50%: each child has 50% chance of inheriting dominant allele.
Q9. What is the term for the process by which a population becomes more adapted to its environment?
Answer: Natural selection
Explanation: Natural selection: process by which population becomes more adapted.
Q10. In a dihybrid cross, what is the probability of producing offspring with the genotype 'AaBb'?
Answer: 3/16
Explanation: 3/16: probability of producing offspring with genotype 'AaBb'.
Q11. In a dihybrid cross, what is the expected phenotypic ratio of offspring if two genes are inherited together?
Answer: 9:3:3:1
Explanation: Dihybrid cross follows 9:3:3:1 ratio, option B is incorrect because it represents a monohybrid cross.
Q12. A couple has a child with cystic fibrosis, an autosomal recessive disorder. What is the probability that their next child will also have cystic fibrosis?
Answer: 25%
Explanation: Autosomal recessive disorders have a 25% chance of being passed to offspring, option B is incorrect because it represents the chance of being a carrier.
Q13. What is the process by which genetic information is passed from one generation to the next?
Answer: Hereditary
Explanation: Hereditary refers to the passing of traits, option A is incorrect because it refers to a change in genetic information.
Q14. In a pedigree chart, what does a filled-in symbol represent?
Answer: Affected individual
Explanation: Filled-in symbols represent affected individuals, option A is incorrect because it represents a carrier, not an affected individual.
Q15. What is the term for a gene that has multiple effects on an organism's phenotype?
Answer: Pleiotropy
Explanation: Pleiotropy refers to multiple effects, option B is incorrect because it refers to multiple genes influencing a single trait.
Q16. A genetic disorder is caused by a mutation in a gene that codes for a protein involved in muscle contraction. What type of inheritance pattern would this disorder likely follow?
Answer: Autosomal recessive
Explanation: Autosomal recessive disorders are often caused by mutations in genes coding for proteins, option A is incorrect because dominant disorders are often caused by gain-of-function mutations.
Q17. What is the term for the interaction between two or more genes to produce a single phenotype?
Answer: Epistasis
Explanation: Epistasis refers to gene interaction, option B is incorrect because it refers to multiple effects of a single gene.
Q18. In a test cross, what is the purpose of crossing an individual with a homozygous recessive individual?
Answer: To determine the genotype of the individual
Explanation: Test cross determines genotype, option B is incorrect because phenotype is already known.
Q19. What is the term for a gene that is located on the X chromosome?
Answer: X-linked
Explanation: X-linked genes are located on the X chromosome, option A is incorrect because autosomal genes are located on non-sex chromosomes.
Q20. What is the term for the phenomenon where two or more genes interact to produce a single phenotype?
Answer: Epistasis
Explanation: Epistasis refers to gene interaction, option B is incorrect because pleiotropy refers to multiple effects of a single gene.