People with at least one copy of the HLA-B53 gene are better able to beat back malarial infections before the infection progresses. If this is a coevolutionary arms race between Plasmodium and humans, what would the next step in this race be?
A) to see humans with more than one copy of the HLA-B53 gene
B) to see humans without the HLA-B53 gene
C) to see Plasmodium populations that counter the HLA-B53 gene
D) to see Plasmodium populations that have the HLA-B53 gene
E) to see a mutation in the HLA-B53 gene that makes it more effective against malarial infections

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If this is a coevolutionary arms race between Plasmodium and humans, Plasmodium populations that can counter the HLA-B53 gene would be the next step in this race. It is important to note that this answer is based on the assumption that the arms race is ongoing and not at its end, as the question does not specify the timing or duration of the race.

People with at Least One Copy of the HLA-B53 Gene