Question

You and 99 friends are on a three hour boat tour when the weather started getting rough and you were stranded on a desert island. Three of you friends are carriers of the gene for albinism, but no one on the trip is albino. What percentage of the island’s population in the next generation do you expect to be albino? Carriers of this gene?  

Assume that the albinism gene above also allowed individuals who are carriers to avoid a deadly illness caused by consuming the seaweed that grows on the island – one of the few food sources available. Do you predict that will impact the frequency of that allele in the gene pool?Assume that the albinism gene above also allowed individuals who are carriers to avoid a deadly illness caused by consuming the seaweed that grows on the island – one of the few food sources available. Do you predict that will impact the frequency of that allele in the gene pool?

Answer 1

Thank u for your question, before knowing the answer first we have to know what is albinism and how it transmits,albinism is a genetic disorder of melanin production.it is of two types1.oculo cutaneous albinism(OCA) 2.ocular albinism(OC).OCA is a autosomal disorder which reduces melanin in hair,eyes and skin.OC is a x-linked disorder which creates abnormal condition in eyes,why I am mentioning this in your question is,you did not mention about the types of albinism and sex of the other persons.if it is OCA we can say the percentage of albinism in next generation is 1_2 percent.if both parents are carriers 50% of the offsprings are carriers25% will be healthy,25% will be albinperson.if one of the parent is carrier and other is healthy, offsprings will be 50%carriers,50%healthy. But in the case of ocular albinism as it is a x- linked disorder, carriers means all are females,to say the frequency we have to know the sex of other 97 persons. In next condition if albino carriers are resistant to poisonous sea weeds,others will die,they will alive, so as the nature selects the resistant albino gene, the frequency of allelic gene will be greatly impacted.