Question

Suppose that one allele for an enzyme encodes for a form that is active from 25-30 degrees C. Heterozygous individuals show enzyme activity from 25-35 degrees C, an advantage which demonstrates __________?

1) genetic variation
2) heterozygote advantage
3) allele frequency
4) natural selection

Answer 1

The question demonstrates a heterozygote advantage (option 2), which would lead to an increase in the value of 2pq in the population due to natural selection favoring individuals with a wider active temperature range for their enzyme.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario described in the question demonstrates a heterozygote advantage, where heterozygous individuals have a wider range of temperature at which their enzyme is active compared to homozygous individuals. This advantage can lead to an increase in the representation of the heterozygous allele combination in subsequent generations due to natural selection, as it provides a survival advantage in varying temperature conditions. If the population is undergoing heterozygote advantage, we would expect the value of 2pq (where p is the frequency of one allele and q is the frequency of the other allele) to increase because the heterozygote genotype is favored.