Canavan DiseaseCanavan disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the gene that codes for the enzyme aspartoacylase.resulting in incomplete synthesis of myelin sheaths. Individuals affected by Canavan disease experience lack of motor development, abnormal muscle tone, and difficulty feeding. Most individuals affected by this disease die before age 10.In a particular population in Canada, researchers examined 185 people for Canavan disease and found that 16 of them had the disorder.
What is the frequency of Canavan disease in the population examined by the researchers?
What is the frequency of Canavan disease carriers in the population examined by the researchers?
4 years ago
Answered By Hope G
Okay. So assuming that this population follows the restrictions of the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium equation (p2+2pq+q2= 1) The first part of the question is looking for q2. Now q2 is given to us in the equation. (16/185) = 0.0865 So the disease frequency is ~8.65%.
The other assumption that you make with this equilibrium is that p+q=1. We can find q from the first part of this question by taking that square root of q which is 0.294. So we can assume that p = 0.706 (1-0.294 = 0.706) The second part of the question is looking for the middle part of the equation (2pq) so we have everything to do that.
2(0.706)(0.294) = 0.415 So the frequency of the disease carriers is 41.5%
4 years ago
Answered By Hope G
Okay. So assuming that this population follows the restrictions of the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium equation (p2+2pq+q2= 1) The first part of the question is looking for q2. Now q2 is given to us in the equation. (16/185) = 0.0865 So the disease frequency is ~8.65%.
The other assumption that you make with this equilibrium is that p+q=1. We can find q from the first part of this question by taking that square root of q which is 0.294. So we can assume that p = 0.706 (1-0.294 = 0.706) The second part of the question is looking for the middle part of the equation (2pq) so we have everything to do that.
2(0.706)(0.294) = 0.415 So the frequency of the disease carriers is 41.5%
Hope that this helped!