Principles of Inheritance and Variation CBSE 12 PYQ
Principles of Inheritance and Variation CBSE 12 PYQ
1. The probability of all possible genotypes of offspring in a gene c cross can be obtained with the help of:
[All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) Test cross
(b) Back cross
(c) Punne square
(d) Linkage cross
2. In Pisum sa vum, the flower posi on may be axial (allele A) or terminal (allele a). What would be the
percentage of offspring with axial flower posi on if a cross is made between parents Aa × aa?
[All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 75%
(d) 100%
3. A plant breeder crossed a purebred tall plant having white flowers with a purebred dwarf plant having blue
flowers. He obtained 2002 F₁ progeny and found that they were all tall with blue flowers. Upon selfing these F₁
plants, he obtained a progeny of 2160 plants. Approximately how many of these are likely to be short with blue
flowers? [All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) 1215
(b) 405
(c) 540
(d) 135
4. What would be the genotype of the parents if the offspring have the phenotypes in a 1:1 propor on?
[CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) Aa × Aa
(b) AA × AA
(c) Aa × AA
(d) Aa × aa
5. A genotypic ra o of 1:2:1 is obtained in a cross between: [CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) AB × AB
(b) Ab × Ab
(c) Ab × ab
(d) ab × abT
6. he gene that controls the ABO blood group system in human beings has three alleles - Iᴬ, Iᴮ, and i. A child has
blood group O. His father has blood group A and mother has blood group B. Genotypes of other offspring can
be: [CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(i) IᴬIᴮ
(ii) Iᴬi
(iii) Iᴮi
(iv) ii
(a) (i), (ii), (iii)
(b) (i), (ii), (iv)
(c) (ii), (iii), (iv)
(d) (ii), (iv), (v)
7. The number of different types of gametes that would be produced from a parent with genotype AABBCc is:
[All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 8
8. Possibility of the blood groups of the children in a family where the father is heterozygous for blood group 'A'
and the mother is heterozygous for blood group 'B' would be: [All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) Blood groups 'A', 'B'
(b) Blood group 'O'
(c) Blood group 'AB'
(d) Blood groups 'A', 'B', 'AB', 'O'
9. What would be the genotype of the parents if the offspring have the phenotypes in a 1:1 propor on?
[CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) Aa × Aa
(b) AA × Aa
(c) Aa × AA
(d) Aa × aa
10. In An rrhinum, RR is phenotypically red, rr is white, and Rr is pink. Select the correct phenotypic ra o in the F₁
genera on when a cross is performed between RR × Rr: [CBSE Sample Paper 2022-23]
(a) 1 Red : 2 Pink : 1 White
(b) 2 Pink : 1 White
(c) 2 Red : 2 Pink
(d) All White
11. Assertion: When white-eyed, yellow-bodied Drosophila females were hybridized with red-eyed, brown-
bodied males, and F₁ progeny was intercrossed, the F₂ ratio deviated from 9:3:3:1.
[CBSE Sample Paper 2022-23]
Reason: When two genes in a dihybrid are on the same chromosome, the proportion of parental gene
combinations is much higher than the non-parental type.
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
16. (a) A man with blood group 'A' marries a woman with blood group 'AB'. The first child of this couple is found to
have blood group 'B'. Work out a cross to find the genotype of the father. Give the possible blood groups and
their genotypes of the children that could be born to this couple. (Use a Punnett square.)
(b) State the basis of the 'ABO' blood grouping in humans. [All India 2024]
17. Using the Punnett square, depict the genotypes and phenotypes of test crosses (where green pod color (G) is
dominant over yellow pod color (g)) in Garden pea with an unknown genotype. [Delhi 2023 Set-II]
18. State Mendel's law of dominance. How did he deduce the law? Explain with the help of a suitable example.
[Delhi 2020]
19. You are given a tall pea plant and asked to find its genotype. How would you find its genotype? Explain.
[Delhi 2019]
6. Compare in any three ways the chromosomal theory of inheritance as proposed by Su on and Boveri with that
of experimental results on pea plants presented by Mendel. [All India 2019]
OR
(a) Explain linkage and recombina on as put forth by T.H. Morgan based on his observa ons with Drosophila
melanogaster crossing experiment. [All India 2019]
(b) Write the basis on which Alfred Sturtevant explained gene mapping.
7. Write the scien fic name of the fruit-fly. Why did Morgan prefer to work with fruit-flies for his experiments?
State any three reasons. [All India 2014]
1. A single gene that controls the expression of more than one trait is said to show [Delhi 2024]
2. The number of different types of gametes that would be produced from a parent with genotype AABBCC is:
[All India 2022 Term-I]
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
3. How many types of gametes would be produced if the genotype of a parent is AaBB? [ Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
4. In human beings, where genotype AABBCC represents dark skin colour, aabbcc represents light skin colour, and
AaBbCc represents intermediate skin colour; the pa ern of gene c inheritance can be termed as:
[CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
5. At a par cular locus, the frequency of allele A is 0.8 and that of allele a is 0.2. What would be the frequency of
heterozygotes in a random ma ng popula on at equilibrium? [CBSE Sample Paper 2023-24]
(a) 0.32
(b) 0.16
(c) 0.24
(d) 0.48
1. Which of the following animals exhibit male heterogamety? [All India 2022, Term-I]
(i) Fruit fly (ii) Fowl
(iii) Human (iv) Honey bee
(a) (i) and (iii)
(b) (ii) and (iv)
(c) (i) and (ii)
(d) (iii) and (iv)
2. Which of the following combina ons of chromosome numbers represents the correct sex determina on
pa ern in honey bees? [CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) Male 32, Female 16
(b) Male 16, Female 32
(c) Male 31, Female 32
(d) Female 32, Male 31
3. A couple has two daughters. What is the probability that the third child will also be a female?
[CBSE Solve Paper 2021-22]
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 75%
(d) 100%
4. Asser on (A): In birds, the sex of the offspring is determined by males. [Delhi 2024]
Reason (R): Males are homogame c while females are heterogame c.
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explana on of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explana on of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
7. The cytological observa ons made in a number of insects led to the development of the concept of gene c
chromosomal basis of sex determina on mechanism. Honey bee is an interes ng example to study the
mechanism of sex determina on. Study the schema c cross between the male and the female honey bees given
below and answer the ques ons that follow: [All India 2020]
(a) Iden fy the cell divisions 'A' and 'B' that lead to gamete forma on in female and male honey bees, respec vely.
(b) Name the process 'C' that leads to the development of the male honey bee (drone).
8. Explain the mechanism of 'sex determina on' in birds. How does it differ from that of human beings?
[All India 2018]
Topic-6: Mutation
Topic-7: Mutation
8. Study the pedigree analysis of a human given below and iden fy the type of inheritance along with an example:
[All India 2022, Term-I]
Based on the Karyotype, the chromosomal disorder detected in the unborn foetus and the consequent symptoms
the child may suffer from are:
(a) Turner's syndrome: Sterile ovaries, short stature
(b) Down’s syndrome: Gynaecomas a, overall masculine stature
(c) Turner’s syndrome: Small round head, flat back of head
(d) Down’s syndrome: Furrowed tongue, short stature
11. Which of the following amino acid subs tu ons is responsible for causing sickle-cell anemia?
[CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
(a) Valine is subs tuted by Glutamic acid in the α-globin chain at the sixth posi on
(b) Valine is subs tuted by Glutamic acid in the α-globin chain at the seventh posi on
(c) Glutamic acid is subs tuted by Valine in the α-globin chain at the sixth posi on
(d) Glutamic acid is subs tuted by Valine in the α-globin chain at the seventh posi on
12. What is the pa ern of inheritance in the above pedigree chart? [CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
On the basis of this karyotype, which of the following conclusions can be drawn:
(a) Normal human female
(b) Person is suffering from Colour Blindness
(c) Affected individual is a female with Down’s syndrome
(d) Affected individual is a female with Turner’s syndrome
14. Rajesh and Mahesh have defec ve haemoglobin due to gene c disorders. Rajesh has too few globin molecules
while Mahesh has incorrectly func oning globin molecules. Iden fy the disorder they are suffering from.
[CBSE Sample Paper 2021-22]
15. What should be the genotype of the indicated member? [CBSE Sample Paper 2023-24]
Op ons:
(a) AA
(b) Aa
(c) XY
(d) aa
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explana on of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explana on of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
16. Asser on (A): In Thalassemia, an abnormal myoglobin chain is synthesized due to a gene defect. [Delhi 2023]
Reason (R): α-Thalassemia is controlled by genes HBA1 and HBA2 on chromosome 16.
17. Asser on (A): Accumula on of phenylalanine in the brain results in mental retarda on in Phenylketonuria.
Reason (R): The affected person lacks phenylalanine, which is therefore not converted to tyrosine.
[All India 2022, Term-I]
(a) If the base T was subs tuted with A, how would it affect the haemoglobin chain?
(b) Name the condi on and the effects associated with the above subs tu on.
19. Name the disorder in humans with the following karyotype: [Delhi 2019]
(a) 22 pairs of autosomes + XO
(b) 22 pairs of autosomes + 21st chromosome + XY
Short Answer Ques ons (2 or 3 Marks)
20. The chromosome number is fixed for all normal organisms, leading to species specifica on, whereas any
abnormality in the chromosome number of the fixed number of chromosomes in both males and females causes
disorders. In males, it is "44 + XY", and in females, it is "44 + XX". The human male is heterogame c, meaning he
produces two types of gametes, one with "22 + X" and another with "22 + Y" chromosomes, respec vely. The
human female, on the other hand, is homogame c (i.e., produces only one type of gamete with "22 + X"
chromosomes). Some mes, an error may occur during meiosis of the cell cycle, where the sister chroma ds fail to
segregate, leading to nondisjunc on. This results in the produc on of abnormal gametes with an altered
chromosome number. Upon fer liza on, such gametes develop into abnormal individuals. [Delhi 2023 Set-I]
(a) State what is aneuploidy.
(b) If during spermatogenesis, the chroma ds of sex chromosomes fail to segregate during meiosis, write the
different types of gametes with an altered chromosome number that could possibly be produced.
(c) A normal human sperm (22 + Y) fer lizes an ovum with a karyotype (22 + XX). Name the disorder the offspring
thus produced would suffer from and write any two symptoms of the disorder.
OR
(c) Name a best known and most common autosomal aneuploidy in humans and write any two symptoms.
21. Generally, it is observed that human males suffer from haemophilia more than human females, who rarely
suffer from it. Explain, giving reasons. [All India 2020]
22. Two children, A and B, aged 4 and 5 years, respec vely, visited a hospital with a similar gene c disorder. Girl A
was provided enzyme-replacement therapy and was advised to revisit periodically for further treatment. Boy B,
however, was given a therapy that did not require revisits for further treatment. [All India 2019]
(a) Name the ailments the two girls were suffering from.
(b) Why did the treatment provided to Girl A require repeated visits?
(c) How was Girl B cured permanently?
23. Give names of Mendelian disorders along with their symptoms. [All India 2019]
24. Write down a short note on the gene c disease known as Thalassemia. [All India 2019]
1. (c) Reginald Punnett, an English geneticist, established one of the simplest methods for
calculating the mathematical chance of inheriting a given feature. Punnett square became
popular as a result of his technique. It’s the simplest graphical method for determining all
conceivable genotype combinations in children. (1 Mark)
2. (b) When cross is occur between axial (Aa) and terminal (aa) then,
As shown in Punnett square, the phenotype ratio of Axial flower is 50% and terminal flower is 50%.
(1 Mark)
3. (b) The cross between pure breed of tall plant with white colour flower (TTbb) with pure
breed of short plant and blue flower (ttBB). Then the F₁ progeny will be:
4. (d) A × aa (1 Mark)
5. (b) Ab × Ab (1 Mark)
6. (ii), (iii), (iv),(v) (1 Mark)
7. (d) Three genes A, B, and C control skin colour in humans where the dominant forms A, B,
and C are responsible for dark skin colour and the recessive forms ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’ for light
skin colour. Hence, the type of gametes produced by the parent with genotype AABBCc is 4.
(1 Mark)
8. (d) If the father is with heterozygous A blood group (IᴬIᴼ) and mother with heterozygous B
blood group (IᴮIᴼ), then the progeny of such parents are:
Hence, the genotype and phenotype of this test cross is 1:1. (1 Mark)
14. The Punnett square helps in understanding the production of gametes by the parents and
formation of the zygotes in F₁ and F₂ generations. The Punnett square is a graphical
representation for the calculation of probability of all possible genotypes of offspring in a
genetic cross. (1 Mark)
For the blood group of the child to be B, the man's genotype should be Ai. Then the
genotype of the child is Bi.
(2 Marks)
(b) The basis of ABO blood grouping in humans is multiple allelism, where three alleles govern the
same character. (1 Mark)
17.
In this example, the unknown genotype is crossed with a homozygous recessive (gg) individual.
The dominant allele G represents green pod colour, while the recessive allele g represents
yellow pod colour. The genotypes of the resulting offspring can be read from the Punnett
square.
The possible genotypes of the offspring are GG and Gg. GG individuals will have green pods. Gg
individuals will also have green pods because the green colour is dominant. Only gg individuals
will have yellow pods. The phenotypic ratio of the offspring from this test cross will be 1:1 (half
will have green pods, half will have yellow pods). The genotypic ratio will be 1:1 meaning half of
the offspring will be homozygous dominant (GG) and half will be heterozygous (Gg). (3 Marks)
18. Mendel’s law of dominance states that characteristics are controlled by discrete units called
factors (genes). They occur in pairs. In a dissimilar pair of factors, one member dominates
(dominant) over the other (recessive).
This law is used to explain the expression of only one of the parental characters in a
monohybrid cross in the F₁ generation. The expression of both alleles in the F₂ generation.
He also explained the proportion of 3:1 obtained at the F₂ generation. (3 Marks)
19. A test cross is used to determine the genotype of a pea plant. In this, a tall plant is crossed
with a dwarf plant. In the F₁ genera on, all the progeny obtained are tall. So, the genotype of
the tall plant is TT. In the F₂ genera on, 50% tall plants and 50% dwarf plants are obtained.
The genotype of the tall plant is Tt.
(b) Codominance is a condi on where both alleles for a trait are expressed equally. (1Mark)
Gametes : R
If pure brooding rod coated ca les are represented as 'RR' and pure breeding
white coated as them the pink coated ca les are ‘Rr’
A cross between 'RR' and 'r' would produce pink coated ca les (Rr) and white
coated ca le (rr) in the ra o of 1:2:1
Garments : R W
23. The difference between incomplete and co-dominance are ass follows
1. (c)
2. (d) (i), (ii) and (iv) (1 Mark)
3. (d)
4. (d)
5. (c)
6. The chromosomal theory of inheritance given by Su on and Boveri and experimental results
presented by Mendel can be compared in the following ways:
1. In a diploid organism, the factors (genes) and chromosomes occur in pairs.
2. Both chromosomes as well as genes segregate at the me of gamete forma on such that only
one of each pair is transmi ed to a gamete. So, a gamete contains only one chromosome of a
type and only one of the two alleles of a trait.
3. Each pair of chromosomes and gene segregates independent of another pair.
4. The paired condi on of both chromosomes and Mendelian factors is restored during
fer lisa on. (3 Marks)
or
(a) T.H. Morgan studied X-linked genes in Drosophila and observed that when two genes in a
dihybrid cross were situated on the same chromosome, the propor on of parental gene
combina ons was much higher than the non-parental type. He a ributed this to the physical
associa on or linkage of the two genes on a chromosome and coined the term linkage. The term
recombina on describes the genera on of non-parental gene combina ons. (1½ Marks)
(b) Alfred Sturtevant used the frequency of recombina on between gene pairs on the same
chromosome as a measure of distance between them and mapped their posi on on the
chromosome. (1½ Marks)
7. The scien fic name of the fruit fly is Drosophila melanogaster.
Morgan preferred to work with fruit flies for his experiments because:
They are easily grown on a simple synthe c medium in the laboratory.
They complete their life cycle in about two weeks, and single ma ng could produce a large
number of offspring.
There was clear differen a on of sexes, as male and female flies are easily dis nguishable.
(2 Marks)
8. In the dihybrid cross with pea plants, Mendel crossed two pea plants with a set of two
contras ng characteris cs, for example- the seed color as well as seed shape. He crossed a pea
plant with round, green seeds with one having yellow, wrinkled seeds. The plants obtained in the F1
genera on were then self-crossed and the phenotypic ra o of the plants obtained in the F2 is
known as Mendel’s dihybrid ra o, which resulted in 9:3:3:1. (2½ Marks)
9. (a) T.H. Morgan selected Drosophila melanogaster for his experiments because he found that fruit flies
are suitable for studies as:
They could be easily grown on simple synthe c medium in the laboratory.
They tend to complete their life cycle in about two weeks and a single ma ng could produce a large
number of progeny flies.
Sexes are clearly differen ated between male and female flies.
They exhibit several types of hereditary varia ons that can be observed with a low-power
microscope. (2½ Marks)
(b) Morgan carried out many dihybrid crosses in Drosophila to study the genes that were sex-linked.
These crosses were similar to the dihybrid cross performed by Mendel in peas. He hybridized yellow-
bodied, white-eyed females to brown-bodied, red-eyed males and intercrossed their F1 progeny.
He then observed that the two genes did not segregate independently to each other and the F2
ra o deviated significantly from the 9:3:3:1 ra o.
He observed that the genes were located on the X-chromosome and saw quickly that when the two
genes in a dihybrid cross were situated on the same chromosome, the propor on of parental gene
combina ons were much higher than the non-parental type.
According to Morgan, this is because of physical associa on or linkage of the two genes and he
coined the term linkage.
It is used to describe this physical associa on of genes on a chromosome and is called
recombina on. It is a term used to describe the genera on of non-parental gene combina ons. (2½
Marks)
11. (a) Drosophila melanogaster - Morgan carried out several dihybrid crosses in Drosophila to study
genes that were sex-linked.Morgan and his group knew that the genes were located on the X
chromosome and saw that when two genes in a dihybrid cross were situated on the same chromosome,
the propor on of parental gene combina ons was much higher than the non-parental type.Morgan
a ributed this to linkage and coined the term linkage to describe the physical associa on of genes on a
chromosome. He also coined recombina on to describe the genera on of non-parental gene
combina ons.Morgan and his group also found that when genes were grouped on the same
chromosome, some genes were very ghtly linked (showed very low recombina on) while others were
loosely linked.Morgan's student Alfred Sturtevant used the frequency of recombina on between gene
pairs on the same chromosome as a measure of the distance between genes and mapped their
posi ons on the chromosome.(2½ Marks)
(b) Alfred Sturtevant expressed the frequency of recombina on between gene pairs present on the
same chromosome as the distance between those genes. He then mapped the posi ons of genes on the
chromosome. Today, gene maps are used as a star ng point in genome sequencing.
(2½ Marks)
12. The law of independent assortment states that "when pairs of traits are combined in a hybrid,
segrega on of one pair of characters is independent of other pair of characters." This law was proposed by
Mendel, based on the results of dihybrid crosses, where inheritance of two traits was considered
simultaneously Independent assortment is not applicable for the genes located on the same chromosome,
i.e., linked genes. The following cross between a pure-breeding plant with yellow, round seeds and
another pure-breeding plant with green, wrinkled seeds can be taken as an example to explain this law.
(2½ Marks)
Topic-4: Polygenic Inheritance and Pleiotropy
1. (d)
2. (d) Three genes A, B, and C control skin colour in humans, with the dominant forms A, B, and C
responsible for dark skin colour, and the recessive forms a, b, c for light skin colour. The type of
gametes produced by the parent with genotype AABBCc is 4. (1 Mark)
3. (b) 2 (1 Mark)
4. (d) Polygenic and quan ta ve inheritance (1 Mark)
5. (a) 0.32 (1 Mark)
Thus, in human beings, the chromosomal mechanism of sex determina on is XX-XY type:
Human male is heterogame c (XY)
Human female is homogame c (XX) (2 Marks)
12. (a) The chromosome pa ern in the human female is XX, and in the male, it is XY.The haploid gametes
produced by the female (ova) have the sex chromosome X, while in the male (sperms), the sex
chromosome could either be X or Y.Hence, 50% of the sperms carry the X chromosome, whereas the
other 50% carry the Y chromosome.A er the fusion of male and female gametes, the zygote carries
either XX or XY, depending on whether the sperm carrying X or Y chromosome fer lized the ovum.Zygote
carrying XX would develop into a female baby, and XY would become a male baby.Thus, it is concluded
that the sex of a child is dependent on the father, not on the mother.
(2½ Marks)
(b) The difference between male and female heterogamety:
Topic-6: Muta on
1. (d) Nucleo de (1 Mark)