Final answer:
The false statement about the relationship between malaria and the HbS allele is that there is no geographic correlation between them. In fact, the HbS allele is more common in areas where malaria is prevalent because of the protective effect against this disease in heterozygous individuals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is false regarding the relationship between malaria and the HbS allele is: A. There is no geographic correlation between the distribution of the HbS allele and malaria. In fact, there is a significant correlation between the distribution of the HbS allele and regions where malaria is prevalent. The HbS allele provides some resistance to malaria, which is why it has been naturally selected in these regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India.
Heterozygotes, or individuals with one normal and one sickle hemoglobin gene (AS), tend to have greater resistance to malaria compared to those who are homozygous. These heterozygotes are less prone to the severe effects of malaria because the Plasmodium parasite does not reproduce as well in their red blood cells. On the other hand, homozygotes for the HbS allele suffer from sickle cell anemia, and though they too may have some resistance to malaria, their health complications are severe.
As for statement E, while many people around the world are homozygous for the normal HbA allele, in areas where malaria is common, a significant portion of the population may carry at least one HbS allele. Thus, there's variation in the homozygosity frequency of the HbA allele worldwide, especially in regions impacted by malaria.