In humans, albinism is a recessive condition caused by mutations in genes involved in the production of melanin, a skin pigment. In Americans of European ancestry, albino individuals occur at a frequency of about 1 in 100,000. If you assume Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in this population, what is the expected frequency of carriers (heterozygotes) for albinism?

Question

Sam Golden

Biology

10 April, 00:27

In humans, albinism is a recessive condition caused by mutations in genes involved in the production of melanin, a skin pigment. In Americans of European ancestry, albino individuals occur at a frequency of about 1 in 100,000. If you assume Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in this population, what is the expected frequency of carriers (heterozygotes) for albinism?

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Emilie Ballard · Answer 1

Frequency of carriers for albinism in given population: 0.00629

Explanation:

Albinism is expressed in homozygous recessive genotype only. Since 1 out of total population is albino:

Frequency of homozygous recessive genotype (q2) = 1/100,000 = 0.00001

q = square root of 0.00001 = 0.00316

According to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: p+q = 1

So, p = 1-q

p = 1-0.00316 = 0.9968

Expected frequency of carriers in the population = 2pq = 2 x 0.9968 x 0.00316 = 0.00629