Two copies of the HbS allele cause sickle-cell anemia, but a single HbS allele helps protect individuals from malaria. This is an example of

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Heterozygote advantage refers to the phenomenon where individuals who are heterozygous at a particular locus have a higher fitness than do both homozygotes. In the case of sickle-cell anemia, individuals with one copy of the HbS allele (heterozygotes) are more resistant to malaria than individuals with two normal alleles or two HbS alleles, demonstrating a heterozygote advantage.

Two Copies of the HbS Allele Cause Sickle-Cell Anemia, but a Single