Question

Short-legged variety of sheep is an example of

• A. Recessive germinal mutation
• B. Dominant germinal mutation
• C. Recessive somatic mutation
• D. Dominant somatic mutation

Answer 1

The correct option is A Recessive germinal mutation

Seth Wright, 1791, observed an unusual short-legged sheep in the flock and a line of short-legged sheep was developed the Ancon breed. The homozygous recessive genotypes expressed short legs while the heterozygotes were long legged. This means that mutation is recessive. If it was a dominant mutation, the heterozygotes will have short legs.

A mutation in germinal cells, i.e., gamete, mother cell before gametogenesis is called as the germinal mutation. It is passed to whole progeny which receives the mutant gamete. Selfing of F${}_1$ sheep produce a large number of Ancon sheep which means that mutation occurred in germinal cells and produced a large number of mutant gametes which gave rise to mutant progeny. If it was a somatic mutation, only the cells of an organism having mutant allele would express it. Thus, the correct answer is option A.