Question

Which is the most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits?(1 point) Responses A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation. A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation. The parents have recessive alleles, and the child inherited a dominant allele. The parents have recessive alleles, and the child inherited a dominant allele. A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person. A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person. The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.

Answer 1

The most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits is: The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.

In this scenario, both parents can be carriers of a recessive allele (i.e., they each have one dominant and one recessive allele) without expressing the recessive trait themselves. Therefore, it is possible for the child to inherit the recessive allele from both parents and express the trait.