Question

Difficulty: EasyIncomplete Dominance, Codominance, and Multiple Alleles

In human ABO blood groups, an individual carrying both the IAI^A and IBI^B alleles expresses both A and B antigens equally on the surface of red blood cells, demonstrating codominance.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is true. Individuals with genotype IAIBI^A I^B produce both A and B antigens on their red blood cells, showing full expression of both alleles.
Codominance refers to an inheritance pattern where two different alleles at a locus are both fully expressed in heterozygotes. In blood group AB (genotype IAIBI^A I^B), both A and B antigens exist on the erythrocyte membrane without blending or masking.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the genetic relationship between the IAI^A and IBI^B alleles in human blood groups.
Both IAI^A and IBI^B alleles code for functional cell-surface enzymes that attach specific sugar antigens to red blood cells.
Understanding the allele actions determines the phenotypic outcome in heterozygotes.
2
Determine whether the inheritance pattern shown is codominance.
Because neither allele masks the other and both A and B antigens are fully expressed together in blood group AB, the pattern is codominance.
Codominance is defined by the joint and full expression of both alleles in a heterozygous organism.

Key Concept

Codominance in ABO Blood Grouping
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