Building a Reference Map

Let's Review:

A researcher collected DNA from five dung samples in an elephant population. She amplified the sequence corresponding to the STR locus called "Marker X" and determined each allele's size using gel electrophoresis. The data are shown in the table. Samples that have an identical fragment for both alleles are homozygous for Marker X. If the alleles are different, the individual is heterozygous.

Dung SampleAllele 1Allele 2
1237 bp237 bp
2252 bp245 bp
3255 bp252 bp
4252 bp252 bp
5245 bp237 bp

Which of the lanes shown at left above (scroll up to view) corresponds to the Marker X profile for this population?

Try again. Look at the allele sizes in the table and look for a lane that has all of them.

Correct. Lane C has bands corresponding to allele sizes 237 bp, 245 bp, 252 bp, and 255 bp, which are all the alleles in the table.

Based on these five samples, which allele has the highest frequency in this population?

Try again. The allele with the highest frequency is the most common allele in the table.

Correct. The 252-bp allele is the most common in the population. Its frequency is 4/10 = 0.4 or 40%.

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