Phenylketonuria (PKU) is extremely common in Ireland, affecting approximately 1 in 4500 live births. Assuming that the population is in Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium, what is the frequency of PKU carriers?
A) 2.9%
B) 1.49%
C) 2.2%
D) 98.5%
E) 0.022%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frequency of PKU (q^2) is 1/4500. To find the carrier frequency (2pq), first find q by taking the square root of 1/4500, which gives q ≈ 0.0149. Assuming p + q = 1, p ≈ 1 - 0.0149 = 0.9851. The carrier frequency is 2pq = 2 * 0.9851 * 0.0149 ≈ 0.029, or 2.9%.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) Is Extremely Common in Ireland, Affecting Approximately 1