Answer to Question #64539 in Biology for Sherisse Bouchard

Question

Sickle cell anemia (Sickle cell anemia) is an inherited recessive blood disorder characterized by chronic hemoglobin anemia, the sixth amino acid of the β chain of hemoglobin (glutamic acid) being Substituted by valine. This disease is common in populations whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa. In an individual, the presence of two ss alleles gives the disease. An Ace individual is a carrier and an AA individual is normal. If 9% of the African population comes into the world with this disease (ss), calculates the percentage of the population that would carry the disease or As heterozygotes.

Answer 1

The frequency of ss genotype is 9% / 100 % = 0.09
Thus, the frequency of s allele is square root of 0.09, which is 0.3
The frequency of A allele is 1 - 0.3=0.7
The frequency of As genotype is 2 * 0.3 * 0.7 = 0.42
Thus, 42% of population are carriers