HMB265H1F Midterm Exam 2012-13

Name_______________________________ Student

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Part 2 SHORT ANSWER. Write your answer in the space provided. (1 question with 2
parts, worth 4 marks total)
18) Michael has red-green colour-blindness, an X-linked recessive trait, and he wants to know
the probability of his children being red-green colour-blind.
a) (2 marks) If the frequency of the red-green colour-blind allele in the population is 10% and
Michael mates randomly, what is the probability that Michael's daughter has the disease? Show
your work.
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This is equivalent to the probability that:
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1) Michael's partner is heterozygous for the disease AND she passes it on.

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Heterozygous probability is: 2 x 0.9 x 0.1 x = 0.09 or 9% (1 mark)

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2) Michael's partner is homozygous = 1%
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Probability of the daughter having the disease: 1% + 9% = 10% (1 mark)

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b) (2 marks) Why is red-green colour-blindness found typically at much higher frequencies in

populations compared to other X-linked disorders? Explain your answer using one of the two
main factors that determine the frequencies of genetic disease.

The frequency of a disorder will be a function of the strength of selection and

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the mutation rate. Red-green colour-blindness probably has little to no selective

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disadvantage, and so therefore can be common in a population compared with
diseases that reduce survival and reproduction. (2 marks)
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Alternatively (for 1.5 marks), the mutation rate might be high at genes causing
red-green colour-blindness.
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HMB265H1F Midterm Exam 2012-13

Name_______________________________ Student

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HMB265H1F Midterm Exam 2012-13

Name_______________________________ Student

Total Pages = 7
Total Marks = 38

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