Question

A certain type of congenital deafness in humans is caused by rare autosomal dominant gene. If both parents are deaf (heterozygous), would you expect all the children to be deaf? Explain.

Answer 1

When both parents are deaf and heterozygous for a certain type of congenital deafness caused by a rare autosomal dominant gene, it is not guaranteed that all their children will be deaf. In autosomal dominant inheritance, a heterozygous individual has a 50% chance of passing on the dominant allele to their offspring.

Step-by-step explanation:

When both parents are deaf and heterozygous for a certain type of congenital deafness caused by a rare autosomal dominant gene, it is not guaranteed that all their children will be deaf. In autosomal dominant inheritance, a heterozygous individual has a 50% chance of passing on the dominant allele to their offspring.

Therefore, there is a 50% chance that each child of deaf parents will inherit the deafness-causing gene. However, it is also possible that some children may inherit the normal allele from one or both parents, making them unaffected by the deafness.