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The chart shows four alleles at the same locus that affect rabbits' coat color. Each allele is dominant to the ones below it. Rabbits with an albino or Himalayan coat are more susceptible to predators. Which of the following genotypes will produce a rabbit that is least likely to survive?

1. [tex] c^hC [/tex] [tex]\square[/tex]

2. [tex] Cc [/tex] [tex]\square[/tex]

3. [tex] Cc^h [/tex] [tex]\square[/tex]

4. [tex] c^{\text{ch}}C [/tex] [tex]\square[/tex]

[tex]
\[
\begin{array}{|l|l|}
\hline
\text{Allele} & \text{Phenotype} \\
\hline
c & \text{Rabbit with fully colored coat} \\
\hline
c^{\text{cm}} & \text{Rabbit with light gray coat} \\
\hline
c^h & \text{Himalayan rabbit with dark ear tips, nose, paws, and tail} \\
\hline
c & \text{Albino rabbit} \\
\hline
\multicolumn{2}{|c|}{\text{Order of dominance: } C \rightarrow c^{\text{cm}} \rightarrow c^h \rightarrow c} \\
\hline
\end{array}
\]
[/tex]

Answer :

We start by noting the dominance hierarchy for the four alleles that affect rabbit coat color. The alleles are ranked as follows:

[tex]$$
C > c^{cm} > c^h > c.
$$[/tex]

This means that any allele listed to the left of another in the hierarchy will mask the expression of a lower-ranked allele. The phenotypes associated with these alleles are:

- Rabbits with the dominant [tex]$C$[/tex] allele have fully colored coats.
- Rabbits with the [tex]$c^{cm}$[/tex] allele (when not masked by [tex]$C$[/tex]) have light gray coats.
- Rabbits with the [tex]$c^h$[/tex] allele (when not masked by an allele of higher rank) have the Himalayan phenotype (white with dark ear tips, nose, paws, etc.).
- Rabbits with the [tex]$c$[/tex] allele (when no higher dominance allele is present) are albino.

Furthermore, rabbits with an albino or Himalayan coat are more susceptible to predators.

Let’s analyze the given genotypes one by one:

1. For the genotype [tex]$$c^h C,$$[/tex] the dominant [tex]$$C$$[/tex] allele is present, so the rabbit will have a fully colored coat. This phenotype is less susceptible to predators.

2. The genotype [tex]$$Cc$$[/tex] again has the dominant [tex]$$C$$[/tex] allele, resulting in a fully colored coat.

3. The genotype [tex]$$C c^h$$[/tex] likewise includes the dominant [tex]$$C$$[/tex] allele, producing a fully colored phenotype.

4. The genotype [tex]$$C^{ch} C$$[/tex] (which is interpreted as having both alleles for the Himalayan phenotype without any allele of higher dominance than [tex]$$c^h$$[/tex]) results in a Himalayan coat. Rabbits with the Himalayan phenotype are noted to be more susceptible to predators.

Since the Himalayan phenotype increases susceptibility to predators, the genotype that produces a rabbit least likely to survive is the one yielding the Himalayan phenotype.

Thus, the genotype that results in the most vulnerable rabbit is:

[tex]$$\textbf{Option 4.}$$[/tex]

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Rewritten by : Barada