The disease sickle-cell anemia is common in malaria-infested areas because individuals that are heterozygous for the gene (AS) have enhanced resistance to malaria over normal individuals (AA). Individuals with severe sickle-cell anemia (SS) usually die before reproduction. If this population moves to an area without malaria, what will happen to the allele frequency of the A allele over time?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the absence of malaria, the selective advantage of the AS genotype is lost, and individuals with the AA genotype will have a higher fitness compared to those with the SS genotype. This will lead to an increase in the frequency of the A allele over time.

The Disease Sickle-Cell Anemia Is Common in Malaria-Infested Areas Because