Lab 2 - PopGen II

Name: _______________________ Section: ______________________ Population Genetics II Datasheet Lab Activity 1: 1. Observe the class data. Which region has the highest percentage of individuals carrying a sickle-cell allele? Kinshasa 2. Consider the relationship between the prevalence of the sickle-cell trait and the probability of contracting malaria. Rank the three African regions from most likely to least likely to be exposed to malaria. Most likely: Kinshasa Intermediate: Al-Kartum Least likely: Johannesburg 3. Based on the class results, where would you recommend the World Health Organization spend their malaria abatement funds? Explain. Kinshasa because this area has higher rates of the Anopehles mosquitos that carry malaria. Also, most of the population in Kinshasa carries the heterozygous sickle cell allele. The offspring of two heterozygous individuals can be homozygous and therefore is at a greater risk of death by malaria. Refer to Figure 1 below and note that Anopheles mosquitos are more common in the darker shaded regions and less common in the lighter shaded areas of Africa. These mosquitos transport the Plasmodium parasite so there is a direct correlation between the presence of the mosquito and malaria infection rates. Revised Fall 2023 1

Name: _______________________ Section: ______________________ 4. How do the relative percentages of sickle-cell/ traits in these locations compare to the relative abundance of Anopheles mosquitos? An abundance of Anopheles mosquitos means higher percentages of sickle cell traits. 5. As the malaria death rate increases, what would you expect to happen to the number of sickle-cell/ deaths? Sickle cell deaths will also increase 6. Explain your answer in terms of natural selection and the "heterozygote advantage." Homozygotes are more susceptible to death and malaria. While heterozygotes are likely to be resistant and increase in number because they only have one copy of the sickle cell allele. 7. The sickle-cell allele most likely originated when a mutation occurred in a normal hemoglobin allele. If the trait arose in Africa, where did it most likely originate? It most likely originated in Kinshasa or central Africa Explain. Revised Fall 2023 2 Figure 1. Anopheles mosquito zones. Darker coloration indicates a wetter environment. Figure 2. Risk and incidence of malaria. Refer to the map posted in the lab and enter the approximate locations of Al-Khartum, Johannesburg, and Kinshasa on the figure above.

Name: _______________________ Section: ______________________ Sample Lane Distance (cm) Genotype Sample Lane Distance (cm) Genotype Sample Lane Distance (cm) Genotype + control 1 1.2 Hbs/Hbs + control 2 0.5 HbA/HbA + control 1 1 HbS/HbS Revised Fall 2023 4

Name: _______________________ Section: ______________________ - control 2 1.5 HbA/HbA - control 3 1 HbA/HbA - control 2 1.5 HbA/HbA G6 3 1.48 Hbs/Hbs Y1 4 1 HbA/HbA B1 3 1 HbS/HbS G7 4 0 Hbs/Hbs Y2 5 0.5 HbS/HbA B2 4 1.5 HbA/HbA G8 5 1.45 Hbs/Hbs Y3 6 1 HbA/HbA B3 5 1.5 HbA/HbA G1 6 1,4 Hbs/Hbs Y4 7 1 HbA/HbA B4 6 1 HbS/HbA G2 7 1.4 Hbs/Hbs Y5 8 0.6 HbS/HbS B5 7 1 HbS/HbS G3 8 1.38 Hbs/Hbs Y6 9 1 HbA/HbA B6 8 1.5 HbA/HbA G4 9 0.5 Hbs/HbA Y7 10 1 HbA/HbA B7 9 1 HbS/HbS G5 10 1.38 HbA/HbA Y8 1 1 HbA/HbA B8 10 1.5 HbA/HbA % with sickle-cell allele= 13% % with sickle-cell allele= 25% % with sickle-cell allele= 44% TABLE Revised Fall 2023 5