Question

1. two parents think their baby was switched at the hospital. its 1968, so dna fingerprinting technology does not exist yet. the mother has blood type o, the father has blood type ab, and the baby has blood type b.

a. mothers genotype:

b. fathers genotype:

c. babys genotype: or

Explanation:

Step1: Determine mother's genotype

Blood type O is recessive. So the mother's genotype is \(ii\).

Step2: Determine father's genotype

Blood type AB is codominant. So the father's genotype is \(I^{A}I^{B}\).

Step3: Determine baby's possible genotypes

The mother can only contribute \(i\). The father can contribute \(I^{A}\) or \(I^{B}\). For the baby to have blood type B, the baby's genotype must be \(I^{B}i\) (since from mother \(i\) and from father \(I^{B}\)). There is no other possible genotype for blood type B in this cross.

Answer:

a. \(ii\)
b. \(I^{A}I^{B}\)
c. \(I^{B}i\)