Question

People became more susceptible to small pox than normal due to the presence of a recessive allele in a gene. People with homozygous recessive condition display this trait while those with heterozygous condition cannot be distinguished from homozygous dominant with reference to normal resistance to small pox. Which of the following is true for the allele frequency of allele that caused small pox susceptibility after the small pox virus was eliminated from earth?

• A. The allele declined in frequency for several generations and then disappeared.
• B. The allele remained at a constant frequency in the gene pool.
• C. The allele increased in frequency, since it was no longer selected against.
• D. The number of homozygous recessive people remained the same, but the number of heterozygous people increased for several generations.
• E. None of the above.

Answer 1

The correct option is B The allele remained at a constant frequency in the gene pool.

The allele that caused small pox susceptibility remained constant in the gene pool. Other allele (dominant and the heterozygous) frequencies increased