7% of Caucasians in the US could not smell an odor musk. If neither parent could not smell musk, none of their children were able to smell it. On the other hand, if both parents could smell musk, most of their children could not. On occasion, some of the children would not be able to smell musk.

A) Is the ability to smell musk a dominant or recessive trait?

B) How is it possible for 2 musk-smelling parents to have a non-musk smelling child?

Question

7% of Caucasians in the US could not smell an odor musk. If neither parent could not smell musk, none of their children were able to smell it. On the other hand, if both parents could smell musk, most of their children could not. On occasion, some of the children would not be able to smell musk.

A) Is the ability to smell musk a dominant or recessive trait?

B) How is it possible for 2 musk-smelling parents to have a non-musk smelling child?

anonymous · Answer

b

anonymous · Answer

A) smelling musk is a dominant trait. Let's call it M
B) in the case that both parents can smell musk, but some of their children not, it means that both parents carry the recessive gene not to smell musk (let's call it m), in combination with the dominant gene that they can smell it. SO the parents both have a Mm combination of musk smelling genes. When parents pass their genes, they only pass on one of the two, that recombine to new set of genes. When both parents pass on the recessive m-gene it recombines to mm in the child, that cannot smell musk.