Question

Suppose you have a population of mosquitoes that varies in the presence of a recessive allele for resistance to DDT. The frequency of individuals that are resistant (rr) is 0.22. Those who are not resistant have either the homozygous dominant genotype (RR), and are found in the population with a frequency of 0.36, or are heterozygous (Rr) with a frequency of 0.42. What is the frequency of the r allele in the population?a. 0.22b. 0.11c. 0.65d. 0.43

Answer 1

Answer:

Option D , $0.43$

Explanation:

Given -

Frequency of individuals that are resistant (rr) is $0.22$ represented as "$q^2$"

Frequency of individual that are not resistant with homozygous dominant genotype (RR) is $0.36$ represented as "$p^2$"

Frequency of individual that are not resistant with heterozygous (Rr) genotype is $0.42$ represented as "$pq$"

As per Hardy Weinberg equation , at equilibrium-

$p^2+q^2+2pq = 1\\0.36+0.22+0.42 = 1$

Thus, the given population follow hardy Weinberg equilibrium.

Thus, frequency of the r allele in the population is equal to

$\sqrt{q^2} \\= \sqrt{0.22}\\ = 0.469$

The nearest value to this frequency is option D

Hence option D is correct.