30. You are studying cannibals in Borneo and want to determine if a specific vil

Question

30. You are studying cannibals in Borneo and want to determine if a specific village population is in H-W equilibrium with respect to the single-gene locus segregating the two co-dominant M and N blood type alleles (L^M, L^N). The following are sample data from two generations of the cannibals: a. Calculate the genotype frequencies for both generations. b. Calculate frequencies for the L^M and L^N alleles for each generation. c. Determine whether generation 2 of Borneo cannibals is in H-W equilibrium.

Explanation / Answer

In the given problem, M and N are co-dominant alleles. Hence, when they exist in heterozygous condition LM LN, they cannot suppress each other to express single phenotype. If the phenotype is M, than the genotypic constitution will be LM LM similarly for N phenotype (LN LN).

a. In the given condition, both phenotypic and genotypic ratio is same. Thus, the genotypic ratio for G1 and G2 is 1.8:4:1 and 2.3:5.4:1 respectively. This ratio is nearly equal to 1:2:1.

b. The genotypes of Borneo cannibals in the given condition are: MM, MN, and NN.To calculate frequency of LM and LN alleles are calculated as follows:

= 0.5

The frequency of allele M is 0.5

= 0.5

The frequency of allele N is 0.5

c. Yes.

The H-W equilibrium states that allele and genotypic frequencies in a population will remain constant from generation to generation in absence of evolutionary influences. In the given condition, both generations are showing nearly same frequency. Hence, they are following H-W equilibrium.

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