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AQA · GCSE · Biology · Higher

Recessive inheritance in pedigrees

Q03.1 1 mark

AKU is a genetic disorder. Figure 3 shows the inheritance of AKU in one family.

Figure 3
Figure 3

Figure 3

Enlarged question image

Figure 3

Describe how Figure 3 shows that the allele for AKU is recessive.

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Marking points

  1. 1 Uses the pedigree to identify an affected child whose parents are unaffected/carriers.

Full-mark answer

A and B do not have AKU but their child D does, showing that two unaffected parents can carry and pass on a recessive allele.

Why this answer loses marks

The child has the AKU allele.

That does not show why the allele is recessive; the key evidence is an affected child born to parents who are both unaffected.