The Honeycrisp (Malus pumila) is a cultivated variety of apple developed by David Bedford at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Dr. Bedford and his team spent nearly 30 years of selective breeding to create this delicious and expensive variety.
Watch the YouTube video Have We Engineered the Perfect Apple? for background information on the genetics of the Honeycrisp.
Dr. Bedford and his team used DNA testing to determine the pedigree (shown to the right) of the Honeycrisp
Circle and identify the following on the pedigree to the right: parents, grandparents and great- grandparents of the Honeycrisp.
Apple Genetics:
Tartness is recessive (Frostbite’s genotype is TT, MN1627’s genotype is Tt)
Sweetness is recessive (Golden Delicious’ genotype is ss, Keepsake’s genotype is Ss)
Juiciness is dominant (Honeycrisp’s genotype is TT, MN1627’s genotype is Tt)
Crunchiness is dominant (Keepsake’s genotype is Tt, MN1627’s genotype is tt)
Red skin coloring is dominant (The Keepsake and MN1627 are both red apples)
Thick skin is dominant (The Keepsake’s genotype is Kk, Golden Delicious is KK)
The Honeycrisp apple, pictured to the right, is both crunchy and juicy. The apple also has a very sweet-tart flavor profile. The Honeycrisp has a very thin skin and is easily punctured.
The first Honeycrisp apple was created in 1974. Clones of this variety have been created by grafting a shoot from the living tree onto a living root.
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Lots of feral cats have invaded our neighborhood, both males and females. A feral cat is a cat that lives outdoors and has had little or no human contact. One female cat has more toes than the usual five toes on her front paws like the pet cat in the picture.
On rare occasions, mother cats who have 6 toes (tt) and 5 toes (Tt or TT) may mate and have offspring. A group of students in a community wanted to determine how likely it was that the babies would have more than 6 toes.
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Question 5
5.
Using information provided and your knowledge of genetics,
Draw a Punnett square as a model to show possible crosses that could have resulted in kittens with more toes than usual.
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Question 1
1.
In the space below, develop a model (e.g., Punnett squares, diagrams, etc.) that shows what the Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious apples produce.
Question 2
2.
What is the likelihood that Golden Delicious apples are produced?
Question 3
3.
What is the likelihood that Honeycrisp apples are produced?
Question 4
4.
What evidence do you have that explains which apple will become more common?
Question 6
6.
What is the likelihood that 5 toed kittens are born?
Question 7
7.
What is the likelihood that 6 toed kittens are born?
Question 8
8.
What evidence do you have that explains which trait will become more common in the cat litter?