NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
VCE Unit 2 COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT
Student Name:
BIOLOGY UNIT 2 (2016)
Unit 2Outcome 3- Research WRITTEN SECTION
Criteria
 To successfully communicate the findings of an investigation into PRA in dogs and explain
the biological concepts, outline the, social and ethical implications for the individual and/or
species and justify their conclusions.
Key knowledge
 The characteristics of effective science communication: accuracy of biological information;
clarity of explanation of biological concepts, ideas and models; contextual clarity with
reference to importance and implications of findings; conciseness and coherence; and
appropriateness for purpose and audience.
 The biological concepts specific to the investigation: definitions of key terms; use of
appropriate biological terminology, conventions and representations.
 The use of data representations, models and theories in organising and explaining observed
phenomena and biological concepts.
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 1
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
PRA INHERITANCE IN DOGS.
Think of how different dog breeds such as chihuahuas, great danes,
dachshunds, blue cattle dogs and dobermans are from each other. Yet all of
our pet dog breeds - regardless of size, colour, coat and intelligence - are all
still members of the same species. All dogs are descended from a long-gone
species of wolf. Over the thousands of years that they have been mankind's
companions, we have selectively bred dogs together so that particular
characteristics became more pronounced while others faded out. For
example, greyhounds with their long graceful legs were bred for speed while
bullmastiffs were bred for their size and strength. Over time, these
characteristics became fixed in that breed. The breeding process is continuous, with new breeds being registered with the
International Federation of Dog Breeders every few years.
Dog breeders try to produce dogs that are the ideal examples of their breed and do so by carefully selecting which dogs to
mate. Unfortunately, in their quest to establish these perfect examples, the dogs produced may inherit genetic disorders
as a result of unfortunate genetic combinations or inbreeding. Purebred Labradors, for example, may develop hip
dysplasia, knee problems and eye problems such as progressive retinal atrophy which - as well as preventing the dog
from being shown in competitions - have serious effects on the dog's quality and length of life. Now that genetics and DNA
are more fully understood, it is not uncommon for dog breeders to consult with genetic scientists to ensure that the
puppies they produce have the smallest risk of developing these disorders.
YOURTASK
You are part of a team of vets that works for the Dog Breeders Association of Australia as genetic counsellors.
Your client has a Labrador that has a family history of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) - a condition that causes
gradual blindness. The client would like to breed her to produce for show as many puppies as possible that do
not carry the gene for the disorder. There are three available male dogs that the female can be mated with. Given
the pedigree of each of these dogs, you must determine which of them should be selected to be the male for the
litter.
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 2
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
Pedigree: Sundae Crème- Female(b)
Chocolate Sundae (d)
Brown
No PRA
Caramel Sundae (d)
Golden
No PRA
Midnight Run (b)
Black
PRA
Sundae Crème (b)
Golden
PRA?
Chocolate Fudge (d)
Brown
PRA
Butter Crème (b)
Golden
PRA
Peanut Butter (b)
Brown
No PRA
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 3
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
Pedigree: Diggety Dog- Male(d)
1
Dog Day Afternoon (d)
Brown
PRA
Dagwood Dog (d)
Chocolate
No PRA
Blonde Venus (b)
Golden
No PRA
Diggety Dog (d)
Golden
PRA?
Night Orchid (d)
Black
PRA
Meadow Daisy (b)
Golden
No PRA
Blue Narcissus (b)
Black
No PRA
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 4
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
Pedigree: Black Douglas- Male(d) 2
Sunny Skies (d)
Golden
PRA
Sunshine Water (d)
Golden
PRA
Golden Beach (b)
Golden
PRA
Black Douglas (d)
Black
PRA?
Bluebell Texas (d)
Brown
PRA
Midnight Run (b)
Black
PRA
Bette Noir (b)
Black
PRA
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 5
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
Pedigree: Brown Charlie – Male(d) 3
Clarion Call Diva (d)
Golden
No PRA
Dingle Dell (d)
Black
No PRA
Lynx Obsidian Blue (b)
Black
PRA
Brown Charlie (d)
Brown
PRA?
Sunstorm Amber (d)
Golden
PRA
Midnight Sky (b)
Black
PRA
Peanut Butter (b)
Brown
No PRA
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 6
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
Teacher Name: <Insert your teacher’s name or code here>
Class: <Insert your class code here>
The gene lab
by
<List the names of the students in your group here>
<Insert an appropriate picture for your report here>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 7
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
INDEX
<Complete this section last. Insert the final page numbers when all sections have been completed and
inserted into the report document. You may insert extra sections as needed. Delete this note when you
have finished.>
Section
page
Scientific Information
1. Introduction
00
2. Recessive/dominant sex linked genes
00
3. Why are genetic disorders in dogs increasing
00
4. Scientific information of PRA and significance in dogs
00
Evaluation of breeding dogs
5. Analysis of pedigrees
00
6. Predicted results of breeding
00
7. Discussion and recommendation
00
8. Reference list
00
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 8
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
1. Introduction
<Write a brief summary of the purpose of this report, including who the intended audience is (in this case, the labrador
breeder). Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 9
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
2. Recessive and dominant genes
<This section should include but not limited to explanations of the following.

What is a gene?

Where is it found?

How are genes passed from parent to offspring?

What are dominant and recessive genes?

How are they expressed in the phenotype?
Use simple examples, labelled illustrations or diagrams to help your explanations. Delete this note when you are
finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 10
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
3. Why are genetic disorders in dogs increasing?
<This section should include but not limited to explanations of the following.

Why do dogs seem to have more genetic disorders? Is there any evidence to support this?

What are some reasons why this number may be changing?
Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 11
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
4. Scientific information of PRA and significance in dogs
<This section should include but not limited to explanations of the following.

What is PRA?

What are its effects?

What dog breeds are most likely to have this disorder?

Why does it turn up more in some breeds than others?

Can it be treated/cured?

How common is it?

Is it a recessive or dominant genetic disorder?

Is it sex-linked? Check all breeds
Use labelled illustrations or diagrams to help your explanations. Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 12
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
4. Analysis of pedigrees
<In this section, the pedigrees of the four labradors concerned should be analysed. As none of the dogs at this stage
show any signs of PRA, you will need to predict the likelihood of them carrying the gene. Use the pedigree chart and the
description of the phenotypes of the dogs’ predecessors on the pedigrees to deduce (where possible) the genotype of the
dogs. You will need to give a clear explanation of your deductions and assumptions. In cases where it is impossible to
determine whether a particular dog is hybrid or purebred for the gene, you need to consider each possibility. Use
diagrams to help in your explanations where necessary. Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 13
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
5. Predicted results of breeding
<In this section, you will use the deduced genotypes of the labrador bitch and the three possible mates to predict the
probabilities of the puppies produced by each mating to be free of the PRA gene, carriers of the PRA gene or to carry only
the genes for PRA. You will need to use Punnett squares to illustrate each pairing, and then calculate the proportion of
puppies that will have each genotype and phenotype. Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 14
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
6. Discussion of findings and recommendation
<In this section you should describe what your analysis indicates about the suitability of each of the three possible
labrador males as mates in terms of which will produce the least number of puppies with PRA or are carriers with the
condition, with a smaller chance of transmission of the gene to the generation after. You may also make
recommendations to the breeder on how to limit the transmission of PRA through the breed. You should conclude with a
recommendation of which of the three dogs would be the breeder’s best choice.
Delete this note when you are finished.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 15
NAME_________________________________
TEACHER__________________________________
7. Reference List
<This is a list of all of the resources that you used for your research and your final report. Check with your teacher what
bibliography system your school uses; the most commonly used ones are the MLA system and the Harvard system. In the
Weblinks section of the Media Centre for this project you can find links to sites that will help you correctly reference your
work for both systems. Delete this note when you have finished this section.>
11BIOLOGY SKC 2016 16