In: Biology
A woman is heterozygous for X-linked disease (Hemophilia A). If she marries a man without hemophilia, is there a chance that her daughters will suffer from the disease?(choose the best option)
a.only daughters can suffer from the disease
b.both daughters and sons can suffer from the disease
c.none of the children will suffer from the disease
d.only children can suffer from the disease
Hemophilia is a X-linked recessive disease. For a female to be sufferer of this disease, has to have homozygous recessive genotype of hemophilia. Oftenly seen, female child with such genetic make up does not survive.
If this woman with heterozygous condition for hemophilia A marries a man without hemophilia A, then
→ she could pass this disease to sons, because they carry only one X chromosome. Thus, sons could be affected.
→ she could pass one X chromosome with hemophilia to her daughters, but the another X chromosome, her daughters would receive from their father would be normal, without hemophilia. Thus, their genotype would be heterozygous for hemophilia. They would be the carrier of this disease, but not the sufferer.
→ if she passed her normal X chromosome, none of her children would carry any X chromosome with hemophilia, knowing their father non-hemophiliac.
Looking at the given options in the question,
Option D is correct.
Only children can suffer from this disease.
This is so, because here gender of children are not specified. And we know, with a hemophiliac heterozygous mother, sons are always at risk of getting the disease.