Which is the most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits?(1 point)

Question

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

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.

This occurs when both parents carry one recessive allele for the trait but do not express it themselves (as they each have one dominant allele that masks the recessive trait). When the child inherits the recessive allele from both parents, they can express the trait.