Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Tay-Sachs disease runs in Rebecca's family. On a family pedigree, she saw a shaded circle. This represented a __________.
A
male with Tay-Sachs
B
female carrier
C
male carrier
D
male of unknown genotype
E
female with Tay-Sachs
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the symbols used in a pedigree chart: In a pedigree chart, a circle represents a female, and a square represents a male.
Identify the meaning of shading: In pedigree charts, a shaded symbol typically indicates that the individual expresses the trait in question, which in this case is Tay-Sachs disease.
Apply this knowledge to the problem: Since the problem states that the circle is shaded, it indicates that the female has the trait.
Recall the nature of Tay-Sachs disease: Tay-Sachs is an autosomal recessive disorder, meaning that an individual must have two copies of the recessive allele to express the disease.
Conclude based on the information: Given that the shaded circle represents a female and shading indicates the presence of the disease, the correct interpretation is that the shaded circle represents a female with Tay-Sachs disease.