Question

A person who is a heterozygote for G6PD deficiency is protected against:

a) Hemophilia
b) Malaria
c) Sickle cell anemia
d) Huntington's disease

Answer 1

A person who is heterozygous for G6PD deficiency possesses a genetic variation that offers a level of protection against malaria.Therefore the correct option i s b) Malaria

Step-by-step explanation:

A person who is heterozygous for G6PD deficiency is protected against malaria. G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency affects red blood cells' ability to counteract oxidative stress caused by certain medications, infections, or foods. Interestingly, individuals with a single copy of the G6PD deficiency gene are less susceptible to severe malaria. This genetic condition alters the red blood cells, making them less hospitable for the malaria parasite's development.

Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through mosquito bites, primarily affects red blood cells. When these parasites invade red blood cells, they feed on hemoglobin, causing the cell to rupture. However, red blood cells affected by G6PD deficiency create an inhospitable environment for the parasite's survival, reducing the severity of the infection.

The heterozygous state offers some protection against malaria, but it's crucial to note that individuals with homozygous G6PD deficiency (two copies of the altered gene) can suffer from severe anemia due to the destruction of red blood cells.

Therefore the correct option i s b) Malaria

Answer 2

A heterozygote for G6PD deficiency is protected against malaria. This results from the less hospitable environment their mixed normal and deficient red blood cells provide to the malaria parasite, offering an evolutionary advantage in regions where malaria is widespread. The correct multiple-choice option is (b) malaria.

Step-by-step explanation:

A person who is a heterozygote for G6PD deficiency is protected against malaria. This condition is due to mutations in the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene and results in a person having a mix of normal and deficient red blood cells, a phenomenon enhanced in areas where lyonization occurs. While G6PD deficiency can cause problems like hemolytic anemia under certain conditions, the protection against malaria stems from the altered red blood cells providing a less hospitable environment for the malaria parasite.

In regions where malaria is endemic, this genetic trait confers an evolutionary advantage, consistent with observations that such traits are more common in these areas. This phenomenon was similarly observed in the context of sickle cell anemia, where individuals with one copy of the mutated gene have a degree of protection against malaria, an advantage that is also lost once the individual carries two copies of the gene. Overall, the heterozygous state can thus confer a selective advantage in malarial regions.

The correct multiple-choice option is (b) malaria.