Were the babies switched?

– The Genetics of Blood Typesi

Two couples had babies on the same day in the
same hospital. Denise and Earnest had a girl,
Tonja. Danielle and Michael had twins, a boy,
Michael, Jr., and a girl, Michelle.

Danielle was convinced that there had been a

mix-up and she had the wrong baby girl. Tonja and Michael Jr. looked more like twins since they
both had darker skin, while Michelle had lighter skin. Danielle insisted that both families have blood
type tests to check whether there had been a mix-up.

The Genetics of Blood Types

Each person has one of the blood types shown in this chart. Your blood type is determined by
whether your red blood cells have type A and/or type B carbohydrate molecules on the surface.
A Person With: Has:
Type A carbohydrate molecules
Type A blood
on his or her red blood cells
Type B carbohydrate molecules
Type B blood
on his or her red blood cells

Both type A and type B carbohydrate molecules

Type AB blood
on his or her red blood cells
Neither type A nor type B carbohydrate molecules
Type O blood
on his or her red blood cells

These four different blood types result from different alleles of a single gene in the DNA.
These alleles give the directions for making different versions of a protein enzyme that
puts different types of carbohydrate molecules on the surface of red blood cells.
Allele Gives the directions for making a version of the enzyme that:
IA puts type A carbohydrate molecules on the surface of red blood cells
IB puts type B carbohydrate molecules on the surface of red blood cells
is inactive; doesn't put either type of carbohydrate molecule
i on the surface of red blood cells

1. Each person has two copies of this gene, one inherited from his/her mother and the other
inherited from his/her father. Complete the following table to relate genotypes to blood types.
Genotype This person's cells make: Blood Type
the version of the enzyme that puts type A carbohydrate molecules on the
IA IA surface of red blood cells.
the inactive protein that doesn’t put either type A or type B carbohydrate
ii molecules on the surface of red blood cells.
both the version of the enzyme that puts type A carbohydrate molecules
IA i on the surface of red blood cells and the inactive protein
A

2. In a person with the IA i genotype, which allele is dominant, IA or i? Explain your reasoning.

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3. For the genotypes listed below, which type(s) of enzyme would this person's cells make? What
blood type would the person have?
Genotype Will this person's cells make the version of the enzyme that puts Blood Type
this carbohydrate on the surface of his/her red blood cells?
IB IB Type A __ yes __ no; Type B __ yes __ no
IB i Type A __ yes __ no; Type B __ yes __ no
IA IB Type A __ yes __ no; Type B __ yes __ no AB

Codominance refers to inheritance in which two alleles of a gene each have a different observable
effect on the phenotype of a heterozygous individual. Thus, in codominance, neither allele is
recessive — both alleles are dominant.

4. Which of the genotypes listed above results in a blood type that provides clear evidence of
codominance? Explain your reasoning.

This expanded version of a

Punnett square shows how
meiosis and fertilization result in
the inheritance of genes.

5. Complete this chart to show

the genetic makeup of each
zygote produced by fertilization.

A baby develops from a zygote by

repeated rounds of mitosis, so
each cell in a baby’s body has the
same genetic makeup as the
zygote. This is the genotype of
the child.

6a. Draw a Punnett square in the usual

format for this same mother and father.

6b. Write in the blood type for each parent

and each child.

Notice that meiosis and fertilization can

produce:
• children who have the same blood
type as one of their parents
• children who have a different blood
type than either parent.
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 Using Immune Responses to Test Blood Types
Our bodies can make antibodies against antigens such as the type A and type B carbohydrate
molecules on the surface of red blood cells. Each specific type of antibody binds to a specific
antigen. For example, anti-B antibodies in the blood bind to type B antigens, but not to type A
antigens.

When an antibody binds with an antigen on the surface of a cell, this can result in damage to the
cell. Fortunately, your body generally does not make antibodies against any antigens that are part
of your body.

7. Do you think that a person with type A blood makes __ anti-A antibodies or __ anti-B antibodies?
Explain your reasoning.

8. Fill in the blanks in this chart.

If you have type A blood, If you have type B blood, If you have type AB If you have type O blood,
you have: you have: blood, you have: you have:
• type A antigens on • type B antigens on • both type ___ and • neither type of
the surface of your the surface of your type ___ antigens on antigen on the
red blood cells and red blood cells and the surface of your surface of your red
• ________ antibodies • ________ antibodies red blood cells and blood cells and
in your blood. in your blood. • neither anti-A nor • both ________ and
anti-B antibodies in ________ antibodies
your blood. in your blood.

If you are given a blood transfusion that does

not match your blood type, antibodies in your
blood can react with the antigens on the
donated red blood cells and cause them to
burst and/or clump together and block blood
vessels. This type of transfusion reaction can
be fatal. To prevent this from happening,
doctors test whether donated blood is
compatible with a person’s blood before they
give a blood transfusion.

9. Explain how a type A blood transfusion

could be fatal for a person with type B blood.

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 10. If a blood sample has antigens that match the antibodies, this will result in clumping. To test
the blood type of each parent and each baby, you will:
• mix one sample of his/her blood with anti-A antibodies to test whether his/her blood has
the type ____ antigen
• mix a second sample of his/her blood with anti-B antibodies to test whether his/her blood
has the type ____ antigen.

11. To prepare to interpret the blood type tests, fill in the following chart.
Will this blood type clump if mixed with
Blood type
anti-A antibody? anti-B antibody?
A
B
AB
O

Procedure
 Your group will need a blood-typing tray or other testing surface for each person listed below.
 Go to the station for each person and:
 Put three drops of the person’s blood on the location to test for the type A antigen and
put three drops on the location to test for the type B antigen.
 Put three drops of anti-A antibody solution on the appropriate blood sample and put
three drops of anti-B antibody solution on the other blood sample.
 Return to your seat and mix each blood sample and antibody solution with a clean toothpick.
Discard each toothpick after you have used it.
 If your testing surfaces are transparent, put them on a white background so you can more easily
see whether there is a clumping reaction. For each person, record the results of both tests in
the table below.
 Write in the blood type and possible genotypes of each person.

Results
Reacts with Reacts with Blood type Possible
anti-A antibody anti-B antibody (A, B, AB, O) genotype or
(Yes or No) (Yes or No) genotypes
Danielle
(mother of twins)
Michael
(father of twins)
Denise
(mother of daughter)
Earnest
(father of daughter)
Michael Jr.
(boy twin)
Baby girl 1
(girl twin, according to
hospital)
Baby girl 2
(daughter of Denise and
Earnest, according to hospital)
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Interpretation
Now, you will use the results of your blood tests to evaluate whether Danielle and Michael’s
baby girl was switched with Denise and Earnest’s baby girl.

12a. Draw Punnett squares for each possible combination of genotypes for Danielle and
Michael. Write in the blood type for each genotype to show the possible blood types for
Danielle and Michael’s children.

12b. Draw Punnett squares for each possible combination of genotypes for Denise and Earnest.
Write in the blood type for each genotype to show the possible blood types for Denise and
Earnest’s children.

12c. Who are the parents of each baby girl? How do you know?

12d. Were the babies switched?

i
By Drs. Jennifer Doherty and Ingrid Waldron, Dept Biology, Univ Pennsylvania, © 2017. An alternative version of the Student Handout with
more genetics and less immunobiology, together with Teacher Preparation Notes with background information and instructional suggestions,
are available at http://serendipstudio.org/exchange/waldron/bloodtests.