Final answer:
To calculate the average number of expected fragments when digesting the human genome with EcoRI, divide the length of the genome by the average distance between two adjacent recognition sites.
Step-by-step explanation:
The average number of expected fragments when digesting the human genome with EcoRI can be calculated by determining the number of recognition sites for the EcoRI enzyme in the human genome. The recognition sequence for EcoRI is G*AATTC, where * denotes the site at which the DNA is cut.
To calculate the average number of expected fragments, we can divide the length of the human genome (3 x 10⁹ bp) by the average distance between two adjacent EcoRI recognition sites. In general, the average distance between two adjacent recognition sites can be calculated using the formula:
Average distance = (genome length - enzyme recognition sequence length) / total number of possible sequences
Substituting the values given, the average number of expected fragments can be determined.