Download Nielsen`s Will File

Neilsen’s Will
Recently, Hans Neilsen died at his home on Isle Royale. He lived there alone, since his
wife died ten years earlier. Among his belongings was a will which said that his estate, worth
over 25 million dollars, was to be divided equally between his two children, Peder and Greta.
Because of a flood in the home last year, no other records could be found. Thus began a search
to find Peder and Greta Neilsen.
After news of Mr. Neilsen’s death spread, six individuals came forward claiming to be
the heirs of this fortune. They were Peder A. Neilsen, Peder B. Neilsen, Peder C. Neilsen, Greta
L. Pedersen, Greta L. Rassmussen, and Greta L. Hansen. All six individuals seemed to have proof
that they were the rightful heirs. It was then decided that a genetic trait analysis would be
required to determine if any of these people were the children of Mr. and Mrs. Neilsen.
Six traits were used in this investigation. These traits were polydactyly (extra fingers or
toes), fullness of lips, red-green colorblindness, blood type, vision, and widow’s peak. Hospital
records and family pictures were used to determine the Neilsen’s traits. It was found that Mr.
and Mrs. Neilsen both had normal vision, color vision, thin lips and a straight hairline.
Furthermore, Mr. Neilsen had the normal number of fingers and toes, and type AB blood. Mrs.
Neilsen had type B blood, and had six toes on one foot at birth. This extra toe had been
surgically removed when she was an infant. Other records showed that Mrs. Neilsen’s father
was red-green colorblind, and had six toes on one foot. Mrs. Neilsen’s mother had normal
vision, and no polydactyly.
The traits of the possible heirs were then examined. Peder A. has no polydactyly, is redgreen colorblind, has thin lips, type O blood, a straight hairline, and has normal vision. Peder B.
has no polydactyly, is red-green colorblind, has thin lips, a straight hairline, type A blood, and is
nearsighted. Peder C. had six toes on one foot at birth, has full lips, normal vision, color vision,
a straight hairline, and type B blood. Greta H. has no polydactyly, has thin lips, type B blood, is
nearsighted, and has a straight hairline. While Greta H. has color vision, her son is red-green
colorblind. Greta P. had polydactyly, has thin lips, color vision, a widow’s peak, type A blood,
and is nearsighted. Greta R. had six toes on one foot at birth, has thin lips, is red-green
colorblind, has type AB blood, a straight hairline, and normal vision.
The following traits are dominant: polydactyly, full lips, normal vision, types A and B blood,
widow’s peak.
The following traits are recessive: 5 fingers or toes, thin lips, nearsightedness, type O blood,
straight hairline.
Colorblindness is a sex-linked recessive trait.
1. State the genotypes (gene pairs) that Mr. and Mrs. Neilsen had for each of the traits.
Show dominant genes by using capital letters, and recessive genes by using lower case
letters. If a dominant genotype cannot be determined with 100% accuracy, a question
mark should be used for the second gene of the genotype (ex- A?).
Trait
Mr. Hans Neilsen
Mrs. Greta Neilsen
Polydactyly
Lips
Colorblindness
Blood Type
Vision
Widow’s Peak
2. State the genotypes (gene pairs) that each of the persons claiming to be children have for each
of the traits. Use a question mark for any gene that cannot be determined.
Trait
Polydactyly
Peder A.
Peder B.
Peder C.
Greta H.
Greta P.
Greta R.
Lips
Colorblindness
Blood Type
Vision
Widow’s Peak
3. State whether any of these possible children could be the rightful heir. Explain your decision by
using examples.
Peder A. __________________________________________________________________________
Peder B. __________________________________________________________________________
Peder C. __________________________________________________________________________
Greta H. __________________________________________________________________________
Greta P. __________________________________________________________________________
Greta R. __________________________________________________________________________