Pros And Cons Of Hemochromatosis In Europe
During the genetic drift, an unexpected change occurs in the environment which modifies a number of times the alleles are in a certain population. It is established that the origin of hemochromatosis in Europe first began thousands of years ago when the Vikings began to migrate to the coast. This has been known to spark the spread of the disease, which eventually became more prevalent in Europe. “When small populations, establish colonies in unpopulated or secluded areas, there is significant in inbreeding for generations. This inbreeding virtually guarantees that any mutations that are not fatal at a very early age will be maintained in large portions of the population” (Moalem and Prince14-15). Because an unexpected variation occurred, which,
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in this case,was the Viking migration, the frequency of this allele in the country increased. People of this descent were now more likely to have or to carry this disease because of the genetic drift that causes it to spread. The heterozygous advantage is an instance in which a certain heterozygous genotype bears a certain benefit to the organism compared to a homozygous phenotype.
This advantage may be a gene that is harmful to the advantage, but is helpful when faced by another gene. “Though it will kill them decades later, [people] are much more likely than people without hemochromatosis to survive the plague, reproduce, and pass the mutation on their children” (Moalem and Prince 15). Hemochromatosis is mainly common in Europeans, and it was beneficial to the population during the plague because it avoided the infection that eventually led to death. People who survived the plague increased the amount of recurrence of the genetic disease by reproducing and passing on the allele to the offspring. It was able to maintain the frequency of Hemochromatosis in European descent. Furthermore, this advantage is also relevant to another disease mostly affecting European cystic fibrosis. “Tuberculosis which has also been called consumption because of the way it seems to consume its victims from the inside caused 20 percent of all deaths in Europe between 1600 and 1900, making it a deadly disease” (Moalem and Prince 21). Cystic fibrosis is a disease that slowly affects a person’s body and leads to death, however, saves them from developing tuberculosis. Although both diseases are very harmful to a person's body, one has more of an advantage over the other. These individuals continue to reproduce and their offsprings become carriers, which maintain the frequency of the allele in the European
descent.
in this case,was the Viking migration, the frequency of this allele in the country increased. People of this descent were now more likely to have or to carry this disease because of the genetic drift that causes it to spread. The heterozygous advantage is an instance in which a certain heterozygous genotype bears a certain benefit to the organism compared to a homozygous phenotype.
This advantage may be a gene that is harmful to the advantage, but is helpful when faced by another gene. “Though it will kill them decades later, [people] are much more likely than people without hemochromatosis to survive the plague, reproduce, and pass the mutation on their children” (Moalem and Prince 15). Hemochromatosis is mainly common in Europeans, and it was beneficial to the population during the plague because it avoided the infection that eventually led to death. People who survived the plague increased the amount of recurrence of the genetic disease by reproducing and passing on the allele to the offspring. It was able to maintain the frequency of Hemochromatosis in European descent. Furthermore, this advantage is also relevant to another disease mostly affecting European cystic fibrosis. “Tuberculosis which has also been called consumption because of the way it seems to consume its victims from the inside caused 20 percent of all deaths in Europe between 1600 and 1900, making it a deadly disease” (Moalem and Prince 21). Cystic fibrosis is a disease that slowly affects a person’s body and leads to death, however, saves them from developing tuberculosis. Although both diseases are very harmful to a person's body, one has more of an advantage over the other. These individuals continue to reproduce and their offsprings become carriers, which maintain the frequency of the allele in the European
descent.