Blood Types Problem Set

Problem 1: Is a type O possible in this situation?

Help to answer the question

Could you please help me? I have a question that is NOT a homework question. I am a Junior in High School. "Could a man with type B blood and a woman with type AB produce a child with type O blood?" I think not, because type O is recessive, and the B's seem to be dominant. My cousin thinks yes. Thank you for your help. -- Vicki

Tutorial

Possible genotypes
The possible genotypes of a man with blood type B are BB or BO and the genotype of a woman with blood type AB is AB. The child would receive an A allele or a B allele from the mother and a B allele or an O allele from the father. Therefore, the child could not possibly be of blood type O. The following diagrams are Punnett squares for the two possible combinations, i.e. AB x BB or AB x BO.


The Biology Project
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
University of Arizona
Thursday, October 23, 1997
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