Question

In Europe, approximately 4% of people are red-haired, mostly due to a recessive mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R). If the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what is the likelihood that a non-redheaded European is a carrier for the MC1Rr allele? (For the purpose of this problem, assume all redheads and carriers are mutant for the same MC1R allele).
A: 22%
B: 33%
C: 11%
D: 44%

Answer 1

Answer:

33%.

Explanation:

The 4% population is red-hair due to the recessive mutation in melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R).

Since, the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equillibrium- laet the frequency of recessive allele with red - hair is 'q' and the frequency of dominant allele in the population is 'p'.

$q^{2} =4\%$

$q^{2} = 0.04$

q=0.2

According to hardy-weinberg equillibrium

(p+q)=1

p=1-q

p=1-0.2

p=0.8.

The total population with non red hair is calculated by

=$p^{2} +2pq$

= 0.64 + 0.32

= 0.96

The percentage of the population with non red headed carrier for MC1Rr is calculated by:

=0.32/0.96*100

=33%

Thus, the correct answer is (B).