Question

A gene for skin color can mutate into a dominant allele that prevents the synthesis of pigment, causing albinism. You examine the birth records of five local hospitals and discover that there were 2 albino babies delivered in the last 100,000 births to pigmented parents. What is the mutation rate to the albino allele in this gene?

Answer 1

Answer:

2 mutant alleles in 100,000 births or 200,000 gametes

that is 1 mutation per 100000 gametes

Explanation:

given data

birth  examine = 5 local hospitals

found = 2 albino babies

pigmented parents = 100,000 births

to find out

mutation rate to the albino allele in this gene

solution

we know that here that albinism is cause by the dominant mutation

so that we can say 1 dominant allele is  sufficient to show disease i.e phenotype

so as given data  the rate of albinism is 2 per 100,000 births

so here  2 babies  have one dominant mutant allele

so when we convert birth in terms of gamete

then every birth is the result of 2 gametes

1 from father and other 1  from mother

that is why disease might have come from paternal allele or maternal allele

it mean 100000 births involve 200000 gametes

so we can say  2 mutant alleles in 100,000 births or 200,000 gametes

that is 1 mutation per 100000 gametes