Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder associated with an allele on an autosomal chromosome. Individuals with neurofibromatosis
have uneven skin pigmentation and skin tumors. A man with neurofibromatosis marries a woman who does not carry the allele for this disorder. The couple has 5 children, 3 of whom have neurofibromatosis. The most likely explanation for this outcome is that neurofibromatosis is a ________ trait and the man is ________.
Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal (non-sex chromosome) dominant disease, which means that a <u>single mutant gene from the parents can cause the disease in the next generation</u>. And there is a 50% chance of passing the affected genes to the children.
In this case, since we know the mother does not carry the mutant allele, and just one copy of the affected allele is enough for the children to have neurofibromatosis. We can conclude that the father carries the mutant allele and 3 of the 5 children, inherited the afected allele and have the disease.
Out of the choices given, the two Middle Eastern people that can be referred to as a Semite is the Jews and the Persians. This will make the correct answer D.
