Rose has just given birth to her son, Isaac, and claims that David is the father. David says that he cannot be the father, because he and Rose have dark skin, but the child is albino with pale skin. Given that albinism is an autosomal recessive trait, is it possible for David to be the father?

Question

Nora Klein

Biology

22 September, 15:33

Rose has just given birth to her son, Isaac, and claims that David is the father. David says that he cannot be the father, because he and Rose have dark skin, but the child is albino with pale skin. Given that albinism is an autosomal recessive trait, is it possible for David to be the father?

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Madalynn Obrien · Answer 1

Since albinism is an autosomal recessive trait, it means that both parents must possess the gene for it, for the albinism to occur.

Thus, David could be the father if both Rose and David are carriers (heterozygotes) for the albino allele.