In: Biology
If the proportion of an African population that are carriers of the Sickle Cell allele (HbS) is 0.409, what is the HbS allele frequency in the population? NOTE: You may get more than one solution for this question. If so, choose the smaller frequency. A. 0.652. B. 0.252. C. 0.060. D. 0.622. E. 0.287.
Carriers carry recessive allele(s) as well as the dominant allele. They are the heterozygous organisms and the recessive allele is not expressed on them as they carry the dominant allele as well.
According to the question, the frequency of carrier is 0.409. so the frequency of Sickle cell allele (HbS) is 0.409/2 = 0.2045 (as Human carriers 2 number of alleles for each gene and carriers contain single HbS allele). After comparing the calculated HbS frequency value we can easily discard option C. Option B and option E are also rejected as they are close to the HbS frequency value, calculated only from the carriers /heterozygotes. The frequency from the HbS homozygotes is yet to be calculated.
As we know in African population the frequency HbS allele is
greater from the normal allele, so we can chose the highest
frequencies from the option i.e. option A and option D.
According to the direction from the question, the lowest frequency
value have to be chosen, so the correct answer here is option D =
0.622.