NEETZoologyPrinciples of Inheritance and Variation
How can sickle-cell anaemia be transmitted?
Options
- AOnly if both parents are affected
- BIf both parents are carriers of the gene
- CFrom an affected mother to her children
- DFrom an affected father to his children
Correct answer
B. If both parents are carriers of the gene
Step-by-step solution
This is an autosome linked recessive trait that can be transmitted from parents to the offspring when both the partners are carrier for the gene (or heterozygous). The disease is controlled by a single pair of allele, HbA and HbS . Out of the three possible genotypes only homozygous individuals for HbS (HbSHbS ) show the diseased phenotype. Heterozygous (HbAHbS ) individuals appear apparently unaffected but they are carrier of the disease as there is 50 per cent probability of transmission of the mutant gene to the