Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical

Modeling: One + Two

Volume 11 | 2021 Spring 2021 Article 4

2021

Calculating Probable Theoretical Offspring Genotype in Fruit Flies

Megan Keller
University of South Florida, [email protected]

Advisors:
Arcadii Grinshpan, Mathematics and Statistics
Johnny El-Rady, Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Problem Suggested By: Felix Green

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Recommended Citation
Keller, Megan (2021) "Calculating Probable Theoretical Offspring Genotype in Fruit Flies," Undergraduate
Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two: Vol. 11: Iss. 2, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/2326-3652.11.2.4932
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ujmm/vol11/iss2/4
Calculating Probable Theoretical Offspring Genotype in Fruit Flies

Abstract
Being able to calculate an offspring's theoretical genotype is critical in genetic sciences. We calculate the
theoretical genotype and phenotype of fruit fly offspring. Using the product rule, we determine the
probability for each trait and then for each genotype. In conclusion, we calculate 64 different genotypes
that are supposed to be possible, but only 8 phenotypes are possible.

Keywords
fruit fly, offspring, genotype, phenotype, product rule, Punnett square

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 Keller: Calculating Probable Theoretical Offspring Genotype in Fruit Flies
1

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Determine the expected phenotypes of the offspring of fruit flies grown in the lab. Compare

theoretical and observed phenotypes.

MOTIVATION

Humans have been selectively breeding different organisms for thousands of years. From plants

to dogs, we can select and try to encourage beneficial traits in these organisms by breeding

selected individuals together. Genes are units of heredity that determine the characteristics of an

organism, and are past down from parent to offspring. During conception, gametes from both

parents, containing only half of the parents’ genes known as a haploid, fuse together to create a

full set of genetic material and produce a diploid zygote. Because of this, the offspring will

contain a combination of both parents’ genes; the blending of genes can result in traits that are

different from either parent. By understanding how offspring inherit traits from their parents, we

can determine how genes are recombined and interact.

MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION AND SOLUTION APPROACH

In the lab, we are provided 20 fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), 15 females of which exhibit

wild type phenotypes and 5 males which exhibit mutant allele types. The wild type alleles are

dominant to the mutant; this dominance will affect phenotype expression. The parental

generation’s genomes can be simplified as:

𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴⁺𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵⁺𝐶𝐶 𝑥𝑥 𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴⁺𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵⁺𝐶𝐶

To determine the probability of each trait, we construct a Punnett square; this helps to visualize

genetic recombination of the offspring.

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 Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two, Vol. 11, Iss. 2 [2021], Art. 4
2

Figure 1: Punnett Squares for F1 generate cross breeding

The first equation used is the product rule, which is used to determine the probability of an

offspring's phenotype based on the sum of each trait's individual probability.

The expression can be written as:

𝑃𝑃ₚ = 𝑃𝑃₁ ∗ 𝑃𝑃₂ ∗. . . .∗ 𝑃𝑃ₙ

All genes with at least one wild type allele will express the wild type phenotype, because

offspring with the same traits may have different genomes (Table 1).

DISCUSSION

Once we establish the probability for each genome independently we then can calculate the

probability for each genome combination.

𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴⁺𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵⁺𝐶𝐶 = (1/2) ∗ (1/2) ∗ (1/2) = 1/8 = 12.5%

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴⁺𝐵𝐵⁺𝐶𝐶⁺𝐶𝐶⁺ = (1/4) ∗ (1/4) ∗ (1/4) = 1/64 = 1.56%

https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ujmm/vol11/iss2/4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/2326-3652.11.2.4932
 Keller: Calculating Probable Theoretical Offspring Genotype in Fruit Flies
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In total there are 64 different genomes possible for an offspring from cross breeding 𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴⁺𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵⁺𝐶𝐶

flies. But only 8 different phenotypes are possible due to the dominance of the wild type allele.

Based on these calculations we can predict that the most common phenotype for the offspring

will be gray bodies, red eyes and long wings. Once the offspring have matured and their traits

observed and recorded, those observations can be compared to the theoretical data, this can be

useful in determining if an allele is dominant or recessive or codominant (Table 2).

CONCLUSION

Being able to predict the probable genome of offspring is a useful tool in genomic sciences.

Although a three trait cross is relatively basic, these methods are used in genetic counseling for

family planning and for breeding desirable traits in livestock.

REFERENCES

Brooker, R. J. (2017). Chapter 2: Mendelian Inheritance. In Brooker Genetics, 6th edition

(pp. 33-39). Place of publication not identified: McGraw-Hill Education.

Staroscik, A. (2020). Punnett square for phenotype of three trait cross [Digital image].

Retrieved from https://scienceprimer.com/punnett-square-calculator

Wray, N., Ph.D. (2008). Estimating Trait Heritability. Retrieved December 04, 2020, from

https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/estimating-trait-heritability-46889/

Produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press, 2021

 Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two, Vol. 11, Iss. 2 [2021], Art. 4
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APPENDIX

Table 1:
Genotype Probability Trait

𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴⁺, 𝐴𝐴⁺𝐴𝐴 ¾ Gray body

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 ¼ Black body

𝐵𝐵⁺𝐵𝐵⁺, 𝐵𝐵⁺𝐵𝐵 ¾ Red eyes

𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 ¼ Sepia eyes

𝐶𝐶⁺𝐶𝐶⁺, 𝐶𝐶⁺𝐶𝐶 ¾ Long wings

𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ¼ Miniature wings

Table 2:

https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ujmm/vol11/iss2/4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/2326-3652.11.2.4932