Final answer:
α-thalassemia with a trans deletion is not more prevalent in African populations, which is false. African populations typically have the cis deletion configuration associated with α-thalassemia, due to the relation with malaria resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
α-thalassemia is more prevalent with a trans deletion in African populations. This is false. α-thalassemia involves a decreased rate of synthesis of the α-chain of globin. The condition is often seen in the Mediterranean, African, and Southeast Asian populations, but the type of deletion varies across different ethnic groups.
In African populations, deletions causing α-thalassemia are generally in cis configuration, not trans. These mutations play a role in the body's natural defense against malaria, similar to the sickle cell trait. Thalassemias are a form of inherited anemia due to abnormal hemoglobin and play a significant role in mapping human population's genetic history, with different mutations being prevalent in different regions.
The prevalence of the α-thalassemia with a trans deletion is not typically associated with African populations; rather, this type of deletion is found in South and Southeast Asia.